January 26 was her day, without a doubt. That’s when Naomi Girma made a huge move, signing with Chelsea from San Diego Wave. At just 24, this American defender is already a game-changer. Having sealed a four-and-a-half-year contract, she is heading to London to level up her career. Oh, and did I mention she’s now the first-ever $1 million player in women’s soccer? Yeah, big flex! From being the star player for the San Diego Wave to playing for the US national team, Girma has all it takes to turn heads.

“It doesn’t feel real. There are a lot of things about Chelsea that made me want to come here – the culture, the winning mentality, staff and players. 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.” Now, Girma’s not just bringing skill to the table; she’s bringing that drive to keep pushing forward. And while Girma’s making waves with her record-breaking move, Alex Morgan, her former teammate, took a moment to show some love and give Girma a special title—clearly, top players know greatness when they see it!

During a conversation with Boardroom, Alex Morgan made it her business to hype up Naomi Girma, referring to her as a player to watch. “Well, Naomi Girma, she is going to be like, we used to call our backline, like the ‘secretary of defense’, and Naomi Girma is that. She’s just impossible to get by. She is such a leader,” giving her a bold stamp of approval. What’s more? Well, Morgan also believes Girma’s maturity at such a young age makes her “someone that is going to have a long career on the national team.”

“I believe [Girma] already wore the captain’s armband one time in the Olympics,” Morgan tried recollecting. Well, she is right. Naomi did wear the captain’s armband in the Paris Olympics semifinal match against Germany when captain Lindsey Horan was subbed off. That match that brought Team USA one step closer to Olympic gold also established Girma as “the best defender” in Coach Emma Hayes‘ eyes. And to be quite frank, who is going to disagree with that? Against Germany, Girma was an absolute beast — clearing crosses like a human wall, covering Crystal Dunn’s daring forward surges, jumpstarting offensive plays (yes, she set up the sequence for that Sophia Smith game-winner), and swooping in for clutch tackles near the goal. But here’s a fun twist — even Naomi herself knows she owes a little nod to Alex Morgan!

Naomi Girma gets real about Alex Morgan!

In an interview with The Women’s Game, Girma did not hesitate to talk about Morgan and called her the“perfect example” of a leader on and off the pitch. She further added that she is really inspired by how Morgan has “used her platform and her voice for good.” Indeed, Morgan’s contribution towards securing the historic $24 million settlement that ensured equal pay for all U.S. Soccer players is undeniable.

But hey, wait, Morgan did not sit idly and watch Girma shower her with those praises! She lavished her former teammate with compliments, gushing over how her sense of position, exemplary footwork, and knack for perfectly timed tackles makes her a “smart defender.” Well, Chelsea fans might have to wait a little longer than they expected to see Girma’s defensive IQ in action as manager Sonia Bompastor said that she has a slight injury. But once she is back, we’ll all expect her to hit the ground running.