2025 is the year of change. Barely a month into the year, and we have seen it all. But most of all, the heartwarming story of friendships forged beyond the field has made us believe that someone has been chopping onions nearby. Somewhere in 2018 marked the prelude of the story of an inseparable sisterhood. The 2018 Stanford Cardinal women’s soccer team was where it all began for Sophia Smith and Naomi Girma. Both Naomi and Sophia were already slated for success, considering they were soccer prodigies.

It is true that birds of the same feather flock together. The similarities between Sophia Smith and Naomi Girma were uncanny. Both enrolled at Stanford in 2018 and have been roommates, best friends, and teammates since then. Their love and commitment to the game brought them even closer when the Cardinals won the NCAA Championship title in 2019. While Naomi led the Cardinals to win two Pac-12 championships, Sophia played with the Cardinals for only 2 seasons.

Sophia was the first overall pick in the 2020 NWSL draft for the Portland Thorns, whereas in 2022, Naomi also became the first overall pick for the San Diego Waves. Their accolades in the National Women’s Soccer League are an endless list. In 2023, both Sophia Smith and Naomi Girma were named to the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (USWNT) to represent the country on a global stage. Despite their short-lived FIFA dream that year, they made a dramatic comeback in the Paris 2024 Olympics and led the team to win gold.

Given this exhaustive history among them, it doesn’t come as a surprise that Naomi’s decision to move to Europe has put Sophia in despair. While the congratulatory messages for Naomi Girma seem to be never-ending, the thought of having her best friend move as far as halfway across the globe has caused Sophia distress. Sophia took to Instagram to repost Naomi being drafted to Chelsea F.C. from NWSL to the Women’s Super League for a record-breaking $1.1M transfer deal. The story, which is a heartfelt wish read, ‘Now that I have had a minute to forgive you for leaving me.. I love you nay nay. So proud of you.’

Life’s altered pathways ahead

Naomi’s decision to sign with Chelsea F.C. does not come as a surprise considering that she was sought after by many other teams. Life’s timing couldn’t be any more perfect. Just two days prior to Naomi’s announcement regarding the move, Sophia Smith tied the knot in a close-knit ceremony with her long-term boyfriend, Michael Wilson, after six years of dating. Their story of forever and after began during their Stanford days. Wilson was drafted into the Arizona Cardinals as a wide receiver at the third round of the NFL 2023 drafting season.

While life may have taken Sophia Smith and Naomi Girma on different pathways with futures just as bright, the separation from each other is bound to cause some ache on both sides. The USWNT had recently announced that Naomi would be out of the camp for some time due to a calf injury. There was no word or official confirmation from the WSL, Chelsea F.C., or Naomi Girma, but still, speculations were rife that Naomi would transfer from the San Diego Waves, and the money involved remained undisclosed until now.

With Girma now gone, the USWNT also announced that the trio comprised of Sophia Smith, Mallory Swanson, and Trinity Rodman, infamously known as ‘the triple espresso,’ would also be taking a break in account of their injuries from the training camp. With all known names skipping the training camp, USWNT Captain Emma Hayes is left with 11 players who were part of the team that bagged gold at the Paris Olympics 2024, with many of them attending their first senior camp.

After a hasty start to her tenure, Hayes is expected to use this opportunity to evaluate her remaining players in the absence of the big stars. The USWNT girls are gearing up for the 8th edition of the SheBelieves Cup, hosted by the United States from the 20th to the 26th of February 2025. They will be playing against Australia, Japan, and Colombia for the cup, following which they will be contending against Brazil for two friendlies in California in April 2025.

With the Golden Defender of the USWNT transferring to Chelsea F.C., do you think the NWSL is in trouble? Tell us your thoughts below.