U.S. defender Naomi Girma, the first female million-dollar player, made her debut for Chelsea on Sunday but was forced off with an injury in the second half. Girma, who joined Chelsea from San Diego Wave in January for a reported world-record transfer fee of around $1.13 million, left the field in the 57th minute of a 2-2 draw at Brighton & Hove Albion.
The severity of Girma's injury is unclear, but Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor said it "doesn't look too bad" and that the team would have a scan the following day. Girma's debut came in a tough game for Chelsea, who are currently leading the Women's Super League with 41 points, five points clear of Manchester United.
Despite the injury setback, Girma's teammates were impressed with her performance. Chelsea defender Millie Bright said Girma "did great" and that it was "nice to finally have her on the pitch." Girma herself was also happy to make her debut, saying she was "delighted" to get started.
7 Comments
Karamba
I'm sure Girma will prove her worth on the pitch and silence all the doubters.
Rotfront
Let's not forget the amazing talent that Girma brings to the team. She's not just a big price tag.
Matzomaster
So happy to see Girma finally make her debut! She's such a talented and exciting player to watch.
Rotfront
So much money for someone who got injured in their first game. Not a good investment.
Coccinella
Can't wait to see what Girma can achieve at Chelsea! She's a true superstar in the making.
Cerebro
Would be nice to see some of that money going towards grassroots development instead of just big transfers.
Martin L King
World-record transfer fee? For a defender? This is getting out of control.