Sam Kerr has been found not guilty of racially aggravated harassment, but the fallout from the incident -- unjustly or not -- will persist for years.

Football Australia (FA) has refused to speculate on Sam Kerr’s playing future in the aftermath of the injured Matildas captain’s court case. Kerr is in line to return from an anterior cruciate ligament injury for international friendlies against South Korea in Australia, but will first attempt to clear her name in a UK court.

Few women’s footballers on the planet have the profile of Sam Kerr. One of the most influential and in-demand players around, the ‘Million Dollar Matilda’ is a global superstar. On the pitch, she is a ruthless goalscorer,