SYDNEY, Australia — Sam Kerr is crouched down, head in her hands, alone in the middle of Stadium Australia. Behind her, on the absurdly large screen that curves around one end of the stadium, are the Spanish and English flags, a picture of the Women’s World Cup trophy, and “the final” in all capital letters.
The Matildas have just lost 3-1 to England in a World Cup semifinal and everyone is once again thinking: What’s going through Kerr’s mind in this moment? Is it swirling with a thousand different emotions competing to be the dominant one? Or is her mind empty, unable to process what’s happened, not only this evening but over the last three weeks?
All we know for certain is that Kerr looks gutted and her heartbreak is shared by the entire nation. Her dejection will become one of the lasting images of this tournament.