Girma was named U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year for 2023. She also won the federation's Young Player of the Year award in 2020. Girma was captain of the Stanford team that w

Now, one of the best defenders in the world has found a unique way to make her case, with Naomi Girma set to make the first million-dollar transfer in women’s soccer history. On Tuesday, the San Diego Wave and England’s Chelsea agreed to terms for the $1.

Girma grew up in San Jose and attended Pioneer High School before becoming a standout at Stanford. She was the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NWSL draft and has won the league’s defender of the year award in each of her first two seasons.