United States centre-back Naomi Girma has spoken highly about her Ethiopian roots shaping her career after completing a world-record transfer to Chelsea from San Diego Wave, Afrosport reports.
The 24-year-old joined the Blues in a reported $1.1 million deal, surpassing Zambia forward Racheal Kundananji‘s $860,000 transfer to Bay FC. It is also the first time a transfer in women’s football crossed the one $1 million mark.
Girma was born in San Jose, California to parents who immigrated from Ethiopia and set up a community of people who came from the East African country. This community played a crucial part in building the foundation of Girma’s football career.
“I started playing as a young kid in San Jose,’ she told the Chelsea website. “My dad started this community league thing called Maleda and it was for Ethiopians in the Bay.
“Both my parents immigrated from Ethiopia, so it was for them to have community and for all of us first-generation kids to have that shared experience. The community was really important to him.
“My dad loves soccer, so it was an easy way for us to get together. From playing football there, I fell in love with the game and wanted to keep playing to see where it would take me.”
It’s official. ✍️
Naomi Girma plays for Chelsea Football Club. 🔵 pic.twitter.com/hb7OMyhE06
— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) January 26, 2025
The transfer of Girma means she is the first Ethiopian player to feature in the Women’s Super League which is something she is proud of and strongly embraces.
She hopes her story will inspire children of immigrants to pursue their dreams in sports while also narrating how proud her family is of her transfer.
“It means a lot. My parents came to the U.S and didn’t have anything when they arrived,” she continued.
“For me to be born there, to have the opportunity to grow up there and now play soccer at this level, it’s something I know they never dreamed of. I also didn’t dream of it because I didn’t know it was even possible!
“It’s really cool for me to be playing in the U.S and now overseas. It shows young girls that you can do this too. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have a traditional background or where you came from, you can follow your dreams and pursue your passions.
“As a child of immigrants, a lot of times, it doesn’t feel like that. I’m hoping maybe I can inspire others, whether that is in sports or other things.
“My dad is really proud and very excited. Above everything, he just wants me to be happy and wants me to be somewhere where I’m excited to go and live and play. Chelsea just has everything. My dad and my family are all just excited that I have this opportunity.”
Girma has been capped for the USWNT 44 times, featuring at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand and the Paris 2024 Olympics, winning gold in the latter.
She was named the 2023 US Soccer Women’s Player of the Year while she was named in the 2024 FIFA Best Women’s XI and was also nominated for the FIFA Best Women’s Player award.
