Naomi Girma has made history by becoming the first female soccer player to be transferred over $1 million.
Naomi Haile Girma is a professional American soccer player who plays center-back for Chelsea in the Women’s Super League club.
She played college soccer for the Stanford Cardinal, which she captained in the 2019 national championship.
She won NWSL Rookie of the Year and was named NWSL Defender of the Year in her first two seasons after being selected in the first overall in the 2022 National Women’s Soccer League.
Highlights
- Naomi Girma is an American professional soccer player who plays defender for the National Women’s Soccer League.
- Naomi Girma is the younger child of her parents, Girma Aweke and Seble Demissie.
- Girma’s parents are Ethiopian immigrants; their father fled the country for freedom while their mother migrated to pursue higher education.
On January 26, 2025, Women’s Super League club Chelsea announced they had signed Girma on a four-and-a-half-year deal. On the X page, The Chelsea FC Women post writes,
Its Official. Naomi Girma plays for Chelsea Football Club.
Chelsea FC Women
It's official. ✍️
— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) January 26, 2025
Naomi Girma plays for Chelsea Football Club. 🔵 pic.twitter.com/hb7OMyhE06
The transfer fee was reported to be approximately $1.1. million (£881,000), making Girma the first ever women’s player to be sold for over $1 million.
Girma was officially presented at Stamford Bridge prior to Chelsea’s 1-0 victory over Arsenal.
Moreover, Chelsea manager Emma Hayes has lauded Girma as “the best defender ever,” highlighting her poise, composure, and leadership qualities.
Naomi Girma Is A First-Generation American Born To Ethiopian Parents Girma Aweke And Seble Demissie
Girma was born in San Jose, California, on June 14, 2000. She is the younger child of her father, Grima Aweke, and mother, Seble Demissie.
Naomi’s father, Aweke, is originally from Ethiopia. He played football in his youth and was regarded as one of the top players in his region.
However, he fled Ethiopia during the “Red Terror,” a violent civil war that left more than 1 million dead.
In Aweke’s case, he eventually made it to the United States as a refugee at 19 years old. He initially worked as a busboy, later as a dishwasher, and was finally employed as an electrical engineer.
Moreover, he studied for a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and has worked as a product engineer at Abbott, LifeScan, and SJM.
On the other hand, Naomi Girma’s mother is also a US immigrant from Ethiopia; she came to the US to pursue higher studies.
Girma’s mother, Seble Demissie, is a San Jose, California bank manager. She has also worked as a branch manager at the Bank of the West.
Moreover, Naomi Girma’s parents, Aweke and Demissie, met in the Bay Area’s Ethiopian community.
Girma Awake and Seble Demissie are proud parents of two children, football star Naomi Girma and Nathaniel Girma, a high school athlete.
Naomi Girma Credits Her Parents For Navigating Her To Athlete Life And Creating Safe Surrounding For Her
When Naomi’s father migrated to America, fleeing from the Ethiopian dictator government, he was a young boy chasing dreams.
Girma Aweke formed Maleda Soccer Club for the region’s Ethiopian community in the Bay Area. It created an environment for Naomi to be enthusiastically involved in football.
In her interview in My Favourite Futbolista Podcast, Naomi states,
He created that environment for me, making it a fun and safe space to fall in love with soccer. I always say it’s the most low-pressure environment you could imagine. Half of the kids didn’t like soccer. I was there having fun.
Naomi Girma
Naomi Girma, the daughter of Ethiopian immigrants, is playing for her family, her community and her late friend, Katie Meyer, at this year's Women's World Cup ❤️@naomi_girma | @USWNT pic.twitter.com/CHL6jIU3kS
— espnW (@espnW) July 26, 2023
Moreover, Naomi’s mother was engaged in babysitting co-op groups within the community, which helped the kids play together and exchange information about football tournaments.
This innovative process helped the defender catch local clubs’ eye, including the Central Valley Crossfire.
Later, she faced a struggle in attending football training sessions. However, her parents and community worked together to facilitate transportation for her to reach the training center.
Furthermore, Naomi Girma looks up to her parents and the Ethiopian community and mentions that she hopes to be an example for young, first-generation Americans and their soccer dreams.
Additional Information
- Naomi Girma is three years younger than her brother, Nathaniel Girma.
- Naomi Girma’s last name, Girma, is her father’s first name, as in Ethiopia, children take their father’s first name as their last name.
