Naomi Girma

Naomi Girma is an American defender born in San Jose, California, daughter of Ethiopian immigrants. She stood out during her university years, playing for Stanford, where she was captain of the national university champion team in 2019. She turned professional at San Diego Wave, the club that selected her as the first overall pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft. With the California-based team, she was named Rookie of the Year and, in her first two seasons, also won Best Defender of the league, helping San Diego Wave win the NWSL Shield in 2023. In January 2025, Girma transferred to Chelsea for a record transfer fee in women's football worldwide, becoming the most expensive player in women's football history at that time. With the American national team, she has been named USSF Player of the Year and won the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, playing every minute of the tournament.