USWNT's Naomi Girma to set women's soccer transfer record with Chelsea move

It's rare to see a defender attract more interest than their attacking counterparts, but Girma is no ordinary defender. She captained Stanford to the College Cup in 2019, entered the NWSL as the league's top draft pick in 2022, won the U. S. Soccer Player of the Year award in 2023 and led the USWNT to a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“She’s the best defender I’ve ever seen,” USWNT coach Emma Hayes said of Girma. “Ever.”

Girma excels at just about everything, but her biggest strength is her vision. She can see plays before they happen and knows how to position herself to execute them gracefully. For her teammates, that means Girma is a transformational passer and ball mover; for her opponents, that means Girma knows exactly where they're going to move, often before they know it themselves.

“She [Girma] is just that good,” said Megan Rapinoe. “Calm, extremely smart. I don’t think her physicality gets talked about enough, deceptively quick. If you have any kind of quickness and brain, then that’s a wrap. 

"She can play any kind of ball."

Girma's USWNT teammate Trinity Rodman agreed. “She’s a brick wall. She’s not just a good defender, she’s not just athletic, she’s so smart. You can just see by the way her feet move,” she said. "It's not just defending. It's an art."

In Chelsea, Girma has found a team just as talented as she is. The side is on an unprecedented winning streak in England's Women's Super League. It's taken home five consecutive championships and is on track for a sixth. But when longtime coach Emma Hayes left Chelsea for the USWNT last year, the club went through something of an identity crisis. Girma's arrival — and the leadership qualities she'll bring with her — could help the team rebuild without missing a beat.

For now, as the paperwork gets ironed out, Girma will continue training with San Diego in advance of the 2025 NWSL season. 

Chelsea will return to Super League action this weekend against third-placed Arsenal. The USWNT, meanwhile, will regroup in late February to face Colombia, Australia and Japan in the SheBelieves Cup.