London – American defender Naomi Girma has made history as the first female soccer player to command a transfer fee of over $1 million. English Women's Super League (WSL) giants Chelsea announced on Tuesday the signing of Girma from San Diego Wave for a fee of £900,000 ($1.1 million).   

The BBC reports that this is the highest transfer fee ever paid for a female footballer, surpassing the previous record set in February 2024 when Bayern Munich acquired Rachel Kundananji from BIIK Kazygurt for £685,000.

The 25-year-old is a versatile defender capable of playing both at center-back and full-back. Despite her relatively small stature at 173 cm, Girma has consistently impressed with her exceptional footballing ability.

A standout player from a young age, Girma represented the United States at various youth levels. She continued her stellar form at Stanford University, where she helped her team win the NCAA championship in 2019.

Girma was the first overall pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft, selected by San Diego Wave. She quickly established herself as one of the league's top defenders, earning both the NWSL Rookie of the Year and Defender of the Year awards in her debut season. The following year, she helped San Diego Wave win the NWSL Shield and repeated as the league's Defender of the Year.   

A mainstay in the U.S. women's national team since 2022, Girma played a pivotal role in the team's 2024 Paris Olympic gold medal campaign. Born to Ethiopian immigrants, Girma has been a source of inspiration for many.   

Chelsea, currently leading the WSL by a comfortable margin of seven points over Arsenal, have also qualified for the knockout stages of the UEFA Women's Champions League. The club will be hoping that Girma's arrival will further strengthen their squad and help them achieve domestic and continental success.

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