Sam Kerr will always be remembered as one of the greatest women's players to grace the game, but one drunken night out in London has cast a shadow over the Australian superstar's reputation.

The 31-year-old Chelsea striker, who is mixed race, issued a public apology despite being found not guilty on Tuesday of racially aggravated abuse of a police officer in the early hours of January 30, 2023.

Kerr was recorded calling the policeman "stupid and white" but claimed she did not use "whiteness as an insult".

The judge said after the verdict: "I take the view her own behaviour contributed significantly to the bringing of this allegation."

In a statement, Kerr apologised for "expressing myself poorly on what was a traumatic evening", with the case threatening to leave an indelible mark on an otherwise unblemished career.

"Kerr discovers one drunken night has more impact than all those brilliant goals," the Sydney Morning Herald said, noting the fragility of a sportsperson's image.

"It has two foundations: the way they express themselves on the field, and the curated output of PR (interviews, books, advertisements, social media posts, public appearances and so on).

"The unscripted indiscretion, if evidenced, can bring down that edifice in a moment."

- 'Idiotic athletes' -

Whether the case does indeed have a lasting impact remains to be seen.

Kerr has not played football in over a year after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury (ACL).

Football Australia said in a statement it was committed to supporting her, but made no comment on whether she would remain captain of the national team.

"Football Australia invests heavily in building the behavioural standards and expectations of all involved with our game, especially for all our national team players, where leadership comes with added responsibilities on and off the field," it said.

"Football Australia will reflect with Sam on learnings from this matter and we will continue to provide appropriate support for her moving forward."

Interim Australia coach Tom Sermanni said last week he expected Kerr to be fit for selection when the Matildas host South Korea in April.

The Australian Financial Review, in an opinion piece, said Kerr's suitability to be skipper "has more to do with public opinion, and its tolerance for entitled or idiotic athletes behaving badly".

"That tolerance has, lately, been shrinking," it added.

The Australian broadsheet was adamant Kerr should be "stripped of her Matildas' captain armband and banned from any leadership roles".

"If the captain of any of our national men's teams, the Socceroos included, had been found drunk in a taxi, mid-season, and using deplorable language they would have been stood down from the role immediately," it said.

"So why should Kerr get any special treatment?"

- Struggled -

Kerr made her Australia debut aged just 15 and has gone on to become one of the world's best players.

She was the face of the 2023 World Cup on home soil after her profile soared to new heights when she moved to Chelsea in 2020 and steered them to the domestic double.

Australia's all-time leading scorer, among men or women, with 69 goals in 128 appearances, Kerr has been shortlisted for the women's Ballon d'Or and nominated for the Best FIFA Women's Player consistently since 2017.

Born to an Indian father and Australian mother, she played Australian Rules as a youngster and was convinced she would one day represent her beloved West Coast Eagles, like her brother.

She switched though to football aged 12 and made her debut for the Matildas as a substitute against Italy in 2009.

Known for her pace, agility and heading ability -- as well as her trademark backflip goal celebrations -- Kerr began her career with Perth Glory aged 15.

She spent four years at the club before moving to Sydney FC then left for the United States in 2013, playing for Western New York Flash, Sky Blue FC and finally Chicago Red Stars.

- Australian of the Year -

When she moved to Chelsea her stardom rose to a whole new level.

While her onfield achievements have grabbed attention, she has also won plaudits for her work behind the scenes as an advocate for women's sport.

Named "Young Australian of the Year" in 2018, she was hailed as "inspirational, well-grounded, professional and mature".

Kerr helped drive change in Australian football with a minimum wage now in place and players treated as professionals.

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