Naomi Girma has made history as the first million-dollar player in women's soccer after Chelsea Football Club signed the U.S. Women's National Team defender from San Diego Wave for a record transfer fee of approximately £900,000 ($1.1 million). This groundbreaking transfer was announced ahead of Chelsea's Women’s Super League match against Arsenal at Stamford Bridge.

Before this deal, the record transfer for a female player was held by Rachael Kundananji, who was signed by Bay FC last year for $788,000. Girma's contract with Chelsea will run for four and a half years, marking Chelsea's third world record transfer for a player, with previous records including Denmark’s Pernille Harder and Colombia's Mayra Ramírez.

The 24-year-old expressed her enthusiasm for joining Chelsea, stating, “I’m so happy and really excited to be here. It doesn’t feel real. There are a lot of things about Chelsea that made me want to come here—the culture, the winning mentality, staff, and players. It’s a top environment to learn and grow in.” Girma has previously been a standout performer for the U.S. team, playing every minute of their gold medal Olympic campaign in Paris and earning accolades as the U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year in 2023.

As a former Stanford star, Girma was the first overall pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft and has won numerous individual awards including the NWSL Rookie of the Year and Defender of the Year. She leaves a significant mark in the league, making 72 appearances with the Wave and contributing to the team’s success.

Following her presentation to the Chelsea fans, Girma is set to wear the number 16 shirt and is poised to make an immediate impact in the Women’s Super League, where Chelsea currently leads the table by seven points over Manchester United, according to Al Jazeera.

For further details on Girma's move to Chelsea, read more at CNN and USA Today.