Naomi Girma: Journey of the world's most expensive female player

Center-back players often struggle to capture the spotlight, but all eyes were on Naomi Girma when she made her Chelsea Women debut against Brighton in the Women's Super League. In January, Chelsea signed the American international from San Diego Wave for £900,000, making her the most expensive female transfer in the world at the time.

In Sonia Bompastor's starting lineup, Girma withstood a stern test from Brighton, showcasing her composure and strength before being withdrawn early due to injury. So, who is Girma? Why is she so highly regarded? And what does her future hold?

Girma grew up in San Jose, California, and her family is Ethiopian-American. She started playing soccer with friends on rented fields in parks from a young age. Her soccer career began at the age of four when her father coached her at the local Maleda Soccer Club. Five years later, she joined Central Valley Crossfire. She has said that she was often "the only Black girl on the team" and has thanked her Ethiopian-American community and family, as well as coach Bob Joyce, for their support in her career development.

At Central Valley Crossfire, Girma worked with Joyce, joining a girls' team where she played from the age of nine to seventeen. Joyce told BBC Sport that Girma attended a training session simply because she followed a classmate to the club, adding: "She was a terrific track athlete, good at the 400m, and had good endurance and amazing speed in high school." He added: "Most of the time she played midfield for me. I remember one coach coming up to me and saying 'Oh my God, she tore us apart today.'"

"She was just as good with her left foot as she was with her right. She worked very hard on her weak foot - her left foot. All those things contributed to her success." By the time Girma was preparing to join the National Women's Soccer League, she was already well-known because of her time at Stanford University. Casey Stoney, the former San Diego Wave head coach, said that the first thing she did at the club was attend the college draft, and she had no doubt who her first pick should be. "I remember watching so much [Girma's] tape and thinking 'we need to draft this center-back number one'," Stoney told BBC Sport.

"I had some heated debates internally because other people didn't want to draft her number one, but I was so adamant because I could see the massive talent and potential she had." Stoney added: "I just know when I see a center-back. I put a lot of emphasis on how we build out, and I just felt she was going to bring us so much."

Girma's success at San Diego Wave was immediate. After her first season, she was named NWSL Defender of the Year and NWSL Rookie of the Year. She then signed a new three-year contract, helping San Diego Wave win the NWSL Shield and being named Defender of the Year again in 2024. On the international stage, she was named U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year in 2023 and played every minute at the 2024 Olympics, helping the team win gold.

Stoney said "When I first met Naomi, she didn't know - and still doesn't know - how good she is." "We used to work individually with her a lot on her footwork and positioning. She has a great ability to cover ground at speed and read the game. She often second-guesses herself, and I always say 'no, trust yourself, your judgment is right'." Joyce said Girma will be "able to adapt well to England" because her personality allows her to adapt to any situation. "She's academically smart and able to read the game very intelligently. She's also socially smart and good at understanding people, how to fit in and be successful," he added.

Before Chelsea broke the world record transfer fee, eight-time European champions Lyon made an offer for Girma. According to current San Diego Wave head coach Joanas Edevall, she had wanted to move to Europe "almost a year ago." The prospect of playing in the Champions League, playing in the Women's Super League, and living in London (which Girma has described as a "dream trip") were all factors in her move.

Stoney said she was "not surprised" that Girma joined Chelsea, while U.S. national team head coach Emma Hayes believes it is a good thing to see players move to Europe. "I hope they're happy. Happy and well-developed players are successful on the pitch," said Hayes, who coached Chelsea for 12 years before joining the U.S. team. "We're going to see more American players all over the world, and the game is growing, and it's not a bad thing."

But Edevall said that one "limiting factor" for NWSL clubs is their ability to compete with the salaries offered by European clubs. "If the NWSL is going to be the best league in the world, then it's really important to have the best players in the world playing in that league," he told BBC Sport. "The reality right now is that the league is nowhere near the level in terms of salary that those top players can get at the top clubs in Europe. I don't believe in forcing any player to stay - I don't think we get the best out of people that way. This was a good solution between San Diego and Chelsea."

At first impression, Girma is warm and compassionate, with an infectious smile, as seen in her first interview with BBC Sport. She is clearly popular with her teammates and coaches. "Anyone who's ever coached her or played with her would say 'I love Naomi'," Joyce said. Stoney added: "She's quiet and confident but very humble. She gets on with everybody. She's really likeable. She'll never be the loudest in the room, but she's really likeable and just a really good person."

Girma has a degree in symbolic systems and a master's degree in management science and engineering, which adds to her on-field intelligence. "She's a hard worker and willing to work hard," Joyce added. "She has the right personality, not too excited or too down. Some talented people have mental issues, but Naomi is very calm. She's humorous, very kind, and a happy person. She excels in any environment."

The American star has dedicated a significant amount of time to advocating for mental health after losing her best friend, Katie Meyer, in 2022. She wrote an open letter to Meyer, dedicated her performance at the Women's World Cup to her, and later became an ambassador for Kaiser Permanente, an American healthcare company. "As a person and a leader, she's extremely humble, and her innate ability to read the game and make decisions under pressure is beyond her years," said U.S. national team head coach Hayes. "She's a great teammate, a great communicator, and is growing into a leader. She'll have an incredible career at Chelsea, and the fans will love her."

Hayes called Girma "the best defender in the world," and she will have to adapt quickly to the Women's Super League as all eyes are on her. Chelsea's goal this season is to win the quadruple, and they hope her arrival will help them win the coveted European title. Horan, who won the Champions League with Lyon in 2022, said that moving to a league different from the NWSL is a "challenge" in itself. "It's one of the coolest learning experiences - different habits and different ways of playing, and how they value the ball," Horan said. "They have tough games. Every WSL game is super competitive now, so it's going to be awesome for her. To be able to experience Champions League... I'm excited for her."

In addition to achieving success at the club level, many expect Girma to one day captain the U.S. national team. Current U.S. captain Horan said she hopes Girma will "take on that role as seamlessly as possible after I leave." "It's a little easier when that girl's performing at a high level every game," Horan said. "She's one of the best players on the field, and she brings that standard every game. That's who people look up to."