Injury meant she didn’t make her first appearance in blue until a 2-2 draw with Brighton on 2 March, but a further setback saw the USWNT defender withdrawn early. She didn’t play again until 20 April.

While that was undoubtedly cause for frustration, Girma returned at a crucial moment. Her first 90 minutes for Chelsea saw the centre-back help keep Manchester United at bay as we secured the 1-0 win that clinched the Women's Super League title.

Girma completed another 90 minutes in our WSL victory over Liverpool at Stamford Bridge – the day we lifted the league trophy – and played the entirety of the FA Cup final win at Wembley.

‘That was really cool,’ Girma grins. ‘I mean, Wembley is a legendary stadium and I'd only ever played there with the U.S. The crowd was against us then, so it was fun to have half the crowd cheering for us. I was like: "This is so cool, people are excited for us!" It was amazing.

‘I was very grateful to play, considering the history behind the competition in this country, and how much it means to the fans and the clubs.’

After the 2024/25 season was complete, Girma joined up with the USA squad. The plan was for European-based players to enjoy a summer off after a gruelling league schedule, but the Blues defender had other ideas. Having only made one appearance for the USWNT in 2025, she wanted to play.

Her determination paid off. Girma was named captain for the first time in a 4-0 win over Jamaica on 4 June. She wore the armband twice more during the summer, in another 4-0 win, this time over the Republic of Ireland, and in a 3-0 victory against Canada on 3 July.

The team didn’t concede a single goal under her leadership.

‘I feel like I didn't need a long break this summer because I had the injury earlier this year,’ continued Girma. ‘I wanted to keep the rhythm, keep playing. Getting to go to a camp and play three good games was something I wanted to do. I felt like it would set me up better for coming back to Chelsea in pre-season.

‘It made sense for me to flow through that camp and then take a little break afterwards. To reset and then be ready to go again.

'Being captain was a big honour for me. Being one of the more experienced players in that camp was a good opportunity for me to step up in a bigger way than maybe I would at a camp with other older players there.

‘My biggest priority with the national team is being fit, healthy, and helping the team build for the World Cup. Emma [Hayes] wants me to continue working on my leadership and to develop those skills. It’s part of being a defender too, so it’s something I’ll keep working on.

‘Layering in more and more parts to my game has been really big for me. Not just relying on natural ability, but being more tactical, reading what might happen with the play. Being here at Chelsea, with Millie [Bright] and Lucy [Bronze], who have been such great players for so many years, it's great for me to be able to learn from them.’

After ending her first season at Chelsea on such a high, Girma is eager for more of the same. A WSL opener against Manchester City at Stamford Bridge should enable the defender to do just that.

‘The last game at Stamford Bridge was amazing. The crowd supported us throughout the whole game, and the energy was huge. When Aggie [Beever-Jones] scored that last-minute goal, it just felt electric. It was such good energy. I'm looking forward to experiencing it again.

‘The fans are massive, they keep us pushing, and whether we're at Kingsmeadow or Stamford Bridge, I always hear them. It's pretty cool that you can still feel that in a smaller stadium.

‘As a team, we want to get as many trophies as we can. I want to keep growing as a player. That's the main reason I came to this club.’

You can secure your spot to all four games at Stamford Bridge this season with The Bridge Pass, saving you 20 per cent compared to buying individual match tickets throughout the campaign.