SYDNEY, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Australia has appointed goal scoring prodigy Sam Kerr to captain national women's side, the Matildas, ahead of this years World Cup in France.
The 25-year-old rose to prominence as the scoring powerhouse behind the Matilda's overseas success, which amongst other numerous honors, earned her a nomination for the first ever women's Ballon d'Or award in 2018.
New coach Ante Milicic revealed the news on Wednesday, saying he had his eye on Kerr for the captaincy even before he took the role.
"She's a leader, she's fearless and she's very important to the team," Milicic said.
"Let's be honest, she's one of the best players in the world. Let's show her the respect she deserves."
Kerr gratefully accepted the honor and said she hopes the work she does off the field will have as much impact for the team as what she does with the ball.
"On the field, I'm very vocal and very tough but in a positive way," Kerr said.
"Off the field, I'm the jokester that likes to make people feel comfortable and likes to see people feel connected."
Last year Kerr captained Aussie league team Perth Glory to the grand final, scoring a competition-record 17 goals throughout the season -- making her the goal scoring record holder for both the Australian and U.S. competitions.
Kerr will don the captain's armband for the first time against New Zealand on Thursday, a chance for the team to accrue further experience on the world stage ahead the World Cup in June.
