The American international has penned a four-and-a-half-year contract with the Blues following a move from San Diego Wave in a deal which has broken the world record transfer fee for a women’s player.

As we sit and chat at Stamford Bridge, with Girma taking in the surroundings that will soon become one of her London homes, the 24-year-old's character shines through.

It is evident Girma knows the player she is and is grateful for the journey she’s had to get here, but when we ask about where it all began, her face lights up almost immediately. A story she never gets tired of telling.

‘I started playing as a young kid in San Jose,’ she says. ‘My dad started this community league thing called Maleda and it was for Ethiopians in the Bay.

‘Both my parents immigrated from Ethiopia, so it was for them to have community and for all of us first-generation kids to have that shared experience. The community was really important to him.

‘My dad loves soccer, so it was an easy way for us to get together. From playing football there, I fell in love with the game and wanted to keep playing to see where it would take me.’

By joining Chelsea, Girma will become the first Ethiopian player to feature in the Women’s Super League. Something, the defender says, she embraces proudly.

‘It means a lot,’ she adds. ‘My parents came to the U.S and didn’t have anything when they arrived. For me to be born there (in the USA), to have the opportunity to grow up there and now play soccer at this level, it’s something I know they never dreamed of. I also didn’t dream of it because I didn’t know it was even possible!

‘It’s really cool for me to be playing in the U.S and now overseas. It shows young girls that you can do this too. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have a traditional background or where you came from, you can follow your dreams and pursue your passions.

‘As a child of immigrants, a lot of times, it doesn’t feel like that. I’m hoping maybe I can inspire others, whether that is in sports or other things.’

Girma has undoubtedly made her football-loving dad and the rest of her family proud. A gifted young player who has already experienced much success for club and country, her move to London is another landmark to add to the list.

‘My dad is really proud and very excited,’ our newest recruit says. ‘Above everything, he just wants me to be happy and wants me to be somewhere where I’m excited to go to live and play. Chelsea just has everything. My dad and my family are all just excited that I have this opportunity.’

With the foundations put in place, Girma went on to play for several youth teams before her college career began in 2018 at the prestigious Stanford University.

Like Maleda, Girma's college experience was another key building block in becoming the player she is now. She was exposed to a new level of the game, one she knew she had to become accustomed to if she wanted to be successful at the elite level.

‘College was huge for me,’ she explains. ‘To be playing on a bigger scale and at a school like Stanford, where we had so many top-quality players, it was really good.

‘To be able to train with those players really shaped me and moulded me into the player that I am today. The jump to college helped me pick up those things like a winning mentality and always wanting to work hard and keep going.

‘It was really formative for me as a player and as a person. Getting my education, learning things about myself and just growing, they were a formative four years.’

During her time with Stanford, Girma made a name for herself as a composed defender and her leadership qualities shone through. It led to her being the first pick of the NWSL draft in 2022, joining the newly-formed San Diego Wave.

Girma strikes us as a player who has big expectations placed on her – and then she meets them. In her first season as a professional footballer, she was named Rookie of the Year and NWSL Defender of the Year.

In her second campaign, she played a vital role in helping San Diego Wave, then led by former Chelsea defender Casey Stoney, lift their first-ever honour: the NWSL Shield. And Girma was once again named Defender of the Year for 2023.

But for all of that individual and collective success, she only ever wanted to help the team and become a better player in the process.

‘In my rookie year there were a lot of learning adjustments for me and the team,’ the defender says. ‘I just put my head down, worked hard and tried to soak as much in as I could from my team-mates. There were a lot of experienced players on the team who I was lucky enough to play with and learn from.

‘I was able to be myself and learn from them to help me. I tried not to get caught up in expectations and what people were saying.

‘In my second year, I felt more experienced going in with the national team and with the club, but there were still adjustments. It was just continuing to have that growth mindset and wanting to keep getting better every single day.

‘I wanted to help my team win. I didn’t set out for anything else to happen, but I’m happy it did because it was a huge honour. But just focusing on the team really helps me to be my best.’

That mentality will only help her thrive at Chelsea, with the Blues now synonymous with success.

Coming into such an environment is not unfamiliar to Girma, who has earned 44 caps to date with the trailblazing United States Women’s national team since making her debut in 2022.

She was named U.S. Soccer’s Female Player of the Year for 2023 and played every minute as the USA, led by former Blues manager Emma Hayes, won gold at the 2024 Olympics. It is a tournament Girma describes as a complete joy.

Of course, there was plenty at stake for the USA, who were beginning a new journey with Hayes at the helm and returning to a major tournament only a year after a disappointing early round-of-16 exit at the World Cup.

But Girma and her team-mates stepped up. And she was helped by a tool in her armoury the defender utilises, whether it be for club or country, on the big occasions.

‘In the high-pressure moments, I just remember why I play and it’s because it’s something that I love doing,’ Girma says.

‘When I have that perspective, I don’t feel like I have expectations put on me or feel pressure. It just feels fun to play in those important games with my team-mates and friends.

‘I just remember why I started playing in San Jose with Maleda and my dad, and that is something that keeps me grounded. It helps me feel at peace going into big games.’

There will be no shortage of big games during your time at Chelsea, Naomi, and we can’t wait to see you excel. Welcome to the Blues!