Nationwide — 24-year-old Naomi Girma, an Ethiopian American skilled soccer participant, made historical past because the first-ever million-dollar participant in girls’s soccer along with her $1.1 million switch to Chelsea Soccer Membership from the San Diego Wave in January. Whereas her achievement is a significant milestone for the game, Girma continues to be underpaid when in comparison with male gamers in related positions.
At her younger age, Girma has already gained recognition for her sturdy defensive expertise and management on the sector. As a center-back, she could not obtain as a lot consideration as forwards, however her contributions haven’t gone unnoticed. Her standout efficiency on the Paris Olympics, the place she helped the U.S. Girls’s Nationwide Staff safe a gold medal, cemented her standing as one of many prime defenders on the earth.
Born in San Jose, California, to an Ethiopian immigrant father, Girma grew up taking part in soccer in a community-oriented setting. She shortly rose to prominence, main Stanford to an NCAA championship in 2019. In 2022, she was drafted by the San Diego Wave, the place she earned Rookie of the 12 months and Defender of the 12 months honors in her debut season.
In accordance with Esquire, Girma’s transfer to Chelsea represents a shift in girls’s soccer, with prime European golf equipment now competing for American expertise. But, regardless of her record-breaking switch, the gender pay hole in girls’s sports activities stays a significant difficulty. Girma helps lead a motion for equality in sports activities, however a lot work stays to realize equal pay for feminine athletes.
Along with her soccer profession, Girma is pursuing a grasp’s diploma in administration science and engineering at Stanford. She balances her tutorial and athletic pursuits, discovering achievement in each her research and coaching.
As Girma settles into life in London and prepares for the Champions League season, her journey helps to redefine the way forward for girls’s soccer, one milestone at a time.
