United States defender Naomi Girma has become women's soccer's first million-dollar player, the AP reports. The 24-year-old Girma completed her move from San Diego Wave to Chelsea for a reported $1.1 million on Sunday. That surpasses the world-record fee of $788,000 that Bay FC paid to sign Zambia striker Rachael Kundananji from Madrid CFF last year. Here's a look at how the record transfer fee (in USD) in the women's game has increased over the course of the century:
- 2002: Milene Domingues. The Brazilian midfielder moved from Fiammamonza in Italy to Rayo Vallecano in Spain for $310,000.
- 2020: Pernille Harder. The Denmark forward left German side Wolfsburg to join Chelsea in England for $355,000.
- 2022: Keira Walsh. The England midfielder moved from Manchester City in England to Barcelona in Spain for $513,000.
- 2024 (January): Mayra Ramirez. The Colombia forward left Levante in Spain to join Chelsea in a deal worth $542,000.
- 2024 (February): Kundananji. The Zambia striker moved from Madrid CFF in Spain to Bay FC in the United States for $788,000.
"There are a lot of things about Chelsea that made me want to come here—the culture, the winning mentality, staff, and players," Girma said before Sunday's game against Arsenal, the AP reports. "It's a top environment to learn and grow in. Right now, that's what I'm looking to do. It was an easy choice for me." (More women's soccer stories.)
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