“It doesn’t feel real”: Naomi Girma completes a historic $1.1 million move to Chelsea, making her the first million-dollar player in women’s soccer.
Chelsea confirmed Girma’s transfer from San Diego Wave without revealing the exact fee. However, reports from The Athletic and the BBC indicate that the English champions have invested 900,000 pounds in securing her services.
This groundbreaking transfer surpasses the previous world-record fee of $788,000, which Bay FC paid for Zambia striker Rachael Kundananji from Madrid CFF last year.
This marks the third occasion Chelsea has set a world-record fee for a player, following their investments in Denmark’s Pernille Harder ($355,000) in 2020 and Colombia’s Mayra Ramirez ($542,000) last year.
At just 24 years old, Girma was contracted with the Wave until 2026. Her talent garnered attention from top clubs like French powerhouse Lyon and Chelsea’s rival, Arsenal, within the Women’s Super League.
Girma was officially introduced to Chelsea fans before Sunday’s match against Arsenal at Stamford Bridge, a moment that highlighted her significance to the club.
“I’m so happy and really excited to be here. It doesn’t feel real,” Girma expressed, reflecting on her career milestone.
She elaborated on her decision, stating, “There are many aspects of Chelsea that drew me in — the culture, the winning mentality, the staff, and the players. It’s an excellent environment for learning and growth. Choosing Chelsea was a straightforward decision for me.”
Since debuting for the national team in 2022, Girma has played 44 matches for the United States, contributing to the squad that claimed gold at the Paris Olympics.
In 2023, she was honored as the U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year, adding to her accolades that include the Young Player of the Year award in 2020. U.S. coach Emma Hayes, who previously managed Chelsea, praised Girma as “the best defender I’ve ever seen.”
Paul Green, Chelsea’s head of women’s football, remarked on Girma’s potential: “Naomi is a world-class defender who is now entering the prime of her career. Her composure, game-reading ability, pace, and athleticism will elevate our already talented squad.”
Girma’s impressive resume includes captaining Stanford to a national championship in 2019 and being the first overall pick in the 2022 National Women’s Soccer League draft by the Wave. She was recognized as both Rookie of the Year and Defender of the Year in her debut season.
