Sam Kerr's verdict is in. But one question remains.

Matildas captain Sam Kerr's highly publicised criminal trial has come to a close and the jury has finally delivered its verdict: not guilty.

The Chelsea striker admitted to calling Police Constable Stephen Lovell "stupid and white" during a heated exchange at a London police station after a night out but denied it amounted to a criminal offence.

Now, a jury has agreed, acquitting her of the charge.

The verdict was handed down early Wednesday morning, marking the seventh day of trial at Kingston Crown Court in London. While it's a major legal win for Kerr, one question remains: what does this mean for her future as Matildas captain?

Watch: The story behind the Matildas mural at Bondi Beach. Post continues below.

Inside Sam Kerr's racism trial.

A night out gone wrong.

It was the early hours of January 30, 2023, and Kerr and her fiancé footballer Kristie Mewis were celebrating Kerr's stunning hat-trick in a Chelsea victory. After hailing a taxi to head home, things took a dramatic turn.

According to police, Kerr vomited in the cab, sparking an argument with the driver over compensation. Instead of taking them home, the driver — following police instructions — drove them to Twickenham police station in southwest London.

Believing they were in danger, Mewis smashed a car window for the pair to escape. As the taxi pulled up at the station around 2:20am, PC Lovell and his partner noticed glass on the road and saw Kerr climbing out of the broken window.

Body-cam footage played in court captured the distressing moments that followed. Kerr and Mewis, visibly upset, told officers they feared being kidnapped and assaulted, referencing the high-profile case of Sarah Everard, a woman abducted and murdered by a serving police officer in 2021.

Chelsea striker Sam Kerr was with fiancé Kristie Mewis when the incident unfolded. Instagram/samanthakerr20.

In the 30-minute-long video, a distressed Kerr and Mewis shout over one another as they try to explain their side of the story.

They tearfully tell officers that they feared being kidnapped and possibly assaulted.

"I hate to break it to you, but when a male is driving a f***ing car, for us, for two women, it's f***ed, it's f***ing scary," Kerr says.

"We were begging to get out of there. We were trying to escape — we were trapped. You have to understand the emergency that both of us felt. What do you expect us to do as women in that situation?"

Police witnesses described the women as "inebriated, emotional" and in a "distressed state". In the footage, PC Lovell acknowledges their fear but insists their concerns were hypothetical while the damage to the taxi was real.

He then presents Kerr with two choices: pay for the fare, cleaning fee, and window damage — totalling just under $A2,000 — or be arrested and take the matter to court.

"I'll take option two," says Kerr, who a few moments earlier had said: "I'm not paying some dodgy c***'s window. I will sit here until four in the morning and get the Chelsea lawyers on this. I am not backing down."

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A post shared by Sam Kerr (@samanthakerr20)

Kerr was also heard alleging that they tried to call the police from the taxi, but that the police had hung up on her. However, PC Lovell dismissed the claim, saying, "They wouldn't do that." It's then Kerr piped up, calling him "f***ing stupid and white".

During the trial it was revealed the pair did call emergency services and the operator said they would call back. However, they were in the station when the call was returned.

At one point, an officer asks Lovell whether Kerr, Mewis and the taxi driver were all "getting nicked", to which he responds: "He's not getting nicked."

Kerr was subsequently arrested and charged with criminal damage and racially aggravated public order.

Sam Kerr during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand in 2023. Image: Getty.

A not-guilty verdict.

While the video painted an unflattering picture, it also showed Kerr scared, protective of her partner and frustrated that she felt she was being treated differently because of the colour of her skin.

Her lawyer, Grace Forbes, argued that Kerr never intended to cause "harassment, alarm or distress" and that her comments were not racially aggravated but instead expressed frustration at Lovell's privilege.

Kerr spent over a day in the witness box, showing composure, contrition, and vulnerability under intense cross-examination. The jury ultimately found in her favour.

Chelsea and Australia striker Sam Kerr arrives at Kingston Crown Court. Image: Getty.

What the verdict means for the Matildas.

With the legal battle behind her, there's one question we're all wondering — what does this mean for her future as Matildas captain?

Following the verdict, Kerr apologised for her behaviour, saying she was relieved to "finally put this challenging period behind me."

"While I apologise for expressing myself poorly on what was a traumatic evening, I have always maintained that I did not intend to insult or harm anyone and I am thankful that the jury unanimously agreed," she wrote on Instagram.

"I would like to thank my partner Kristie, my family, friends and all the fans for their love and support, especially those who attended court each day. I am fully focused on getting back on to the pitch and look forward to an exciting year ahead for me and my family."

Her focus will now be getting back onto the pitch, after being sidelined for more than a year with an ACL injury.

She is expected to make her comeback in the coming weeks, just in time for Australia's international friendlies against South Korea in April, ahead of the 2026 AFC Asian Cup.

However, Football Australia now faces a difficult decision: should Kerr remain as captain, or does this controversy warrant a change in leadership?

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A post shared by Sam Kerr (@samanthakerr20)

The trial judge acknowledged that Kerr's behaviour had "significantly contributed" to the allegations against her. Meanwhile, Football Australia CEO James Johnson has remained tight-lipped on the matter.

Speaking last week, Johnson refused to comment on how her return to the Matildas will be handled.

"We understand that there will be some disappointment out there (from fans), but what we would ask is that we all wait out," he said.

"Once we complete the trial, then we'll have a holistic view of what's happened."

For now, it's a waiting game.

-with AAP

Feature image: Getty.