Sam Kerr and her fiancee Kristie Mewis touch down in Australia for the first time since she was charged with racially harassing a cop – hours after couple were dealt bad news

Matildas star Sam Kerr and her fiancee Kristie Mewis have touched down in Perth following a rocky year for football’s favourite couple. 

The visit to Kerr’s hometown comes just days after it was announced Mewis, 33, had been dropped from America’s team for the Paris Olympics, leaving fans in shock. 

It also marks the couple’s first visit to Australia since Kerr, 30, was charged with racially harassing a police officer in southwest London on January 30, 2023. 

Kerr, wearing a black t-shirt and green shorts, smiled as she wheeled several large suitcases out of the airport terminal to a waiting SUV. 

The visit Down Under comes after a challenging year for Kerr and Mewis – who wore black sunglasses as she helped her fiancee with the bags. 

The 33-year-old has scored seven goals in 53 games for America since first being selected in 2013 but suffered an ankle injury in April and had struggled to find the net for the San Diego Waves team.

Mewis – who also plays for West Ham in England’s Women’s Super League – will now join Kerr in watching the Games from off the field after the Matildas superstar was ruled out of Australia’s side for the Games due to a serious knee injury.

The Matildas skipper has been sidelined since picking up a serious knee injury in January, robbing her of the chance to play as Chelsea won the Women’s Super League title for a fifth straight year.

That capped off a shocking start to 2024 for the 30-year-old, who was charged with racially harassing a police officer in a bombshell announcement back in March.

She pleaded not guilty but was hit with another setback when her defence team’s efforts to have the charge thrown out failed, leaving her to face a four-day trial in February next year.

Mewis had been sidelined by injury she picked up in February while playing for West Ham and was unsure of her availability to play for the USA at the Olympics when she was interviewed in March.

The couple recently got away from it all on a luxury holiday to Mexico’s Baja coast, where they dressed to the nines for a meal at their five-star hotel, lounged about in their room, rode ponies and even watched a performance by a performer who dances with fire while being twirled around by her hair. 

The American selectors and manager Emma Hayes – who until recently coached Kerr at Chelsea – made another highly controversial decision when they omitted USWNT legend Alex Morgan from the 18-player Paris squad.

She has been a mainstay of the side since 2010, slotting home 123 goals in her 224 matches for the team – making her the leading scorer available for selection.

‘I’m disappointed about not having the opportunity to represent our country on the Olympic stage. This will always be a tournament that is close to my heart and I take immense pride any time I put on the crest,’ Morgan wrote after she got the news.

‘In less than a month, I look forward to supporting this team and cheering them on alongside the rest of our country.’ 

The USWNT has come under fire after Korbin Albert was controversially selected for the 2024 Olympics in Paris – despite her sharing anti-LGBTQ+ social media posts.

The midfielder has been booed at recent national team games but she was one of the 18 players named to the team by coach Emma Hayes this week.

The selection raised eyebrows, given the backlash to Albert’s social media activity from her own teammates.

Albert previously reposted a video of a Christian worship space preaching against homosexuality and transsexuality.

In another TikTok post – that has since been deleted – Albert showed her family saying ‘their pronouns are USA,’ during the Fourth of July weekend.