Soccer power couple Kristie Mewis and Sam Kerr are pouring “everything” into their preparation for the 2023 World Cup.
While the girlfriends will compete for different sides, Kerr for co-host Australia and Mewis for the U.S. women’s national team, both know the first half of the year will be spent gearing up for that tournament, they told soccer lifestyle magazine Gaffer.
“We’re just raging for the next six months to the World Cup, doing whatever we can,” Kerr said. “We both feel like we’ve been gunning for this World Cup for so long now that it’s kind of going to be like we’re just giving everything for the next six months and then it’s gonna be like a breath of fresh air.”
Mewis agreed, adding, “It’s just crazy that it’s coming so fast but it’s exciting.”
This @samkerr1 and @KristieMewie photo shoot 🔥
— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) January 23, 2023
📸: @GAFFER pic.twitter.com/KTyBDzQOLX
Kerr stars for the Matildas and for Chelsea in the Women’s Super League. The 29-year-old midfielder is tied for the team lead with six goals this season, and the English club sits in second in the league standings.
As Australia gets ready to host the World Cup alongside New Zealand, Kerr will serve as the face of the home team. She became the country’s all-time leader in international goals in 2022, surpassing Tim Cahill’s previous record (49). Her total stands at 61 heading into the World Cup year.
She and Mewis started dating during the COVID-19 pandemic, but they did not go public with their relationship until they made headlines at the Tokyo Olympics in August 2021. The USWNT bested Australia in the bronze medal match, and photos showed Mewis comforting Kerr on the pitch after the final whistle, which prompted them to confirm their relationship on Instagram.
Still, Kerr’s biggest concern about dating a fellow soccer player comes into play when they have to face each other in competition, as they did at the Olympics.
“I think there’s this part of us where we’re both separate athletes and when we compete against each other there’s this worry that people don’t think we don’t take it seriously because you’re playing your girlfriend,” Kerr said. “That’s what I worry about most out of anything, is that our coaches or teammates don’t think that we can separate the two. … I hope people know that when it’s training time or play time, it doesn’t come into it.”
Despite the pressure that comes with the spotlight, Mewis focused on the positive impact their relationship can have. The 31-year-old midfielder, who is ramping up for the 2023 NWSL season with Gotham FC, is “proud” to share their story, she said.
“I think just being out and being two girls in love, I think if we can change one or two people’s lives and the way that they feel about each other and how comfortable they feel, then that means a lot to me,” Mewis said.
