Emma Hayes Confirms Naomi Girma Situation as USWNT vs Brazil Match Nears

2025 hasn’t begun the way Naomi Girma expected. Though the beginning saw the former San Diego Wave defender make a historic million-dollar move to Chelsea, her WSL debut ended prematurely as she left the pitch within 59 minutes. Since then, the USWNT star has remained sidelined, missing significant action on both the domestic and international fronts. While her club appears prepared to manage her absence for now, Emma Hayes has also developed a ‘real sense’ of the need to strengthen depth in her defense.

Well, technically, it’s more than just defense. But the talking point remains that the English boss has realized what positions she exactly needs to stack up. This is a step that not only concerns the short-term challenges like the upcoming one they are about to face against Brazil, but also the long-term ones, like the preparation for the World Cup.

“I think it’s fair to say in both fullback positions, we will be looking at depth in those areas,” began Hayes while speaking with The Attacking Third, after having attended today’s NWSL match between Angel City and Seattle Reign at BMO Stadium. “Arguably with Naomi Germa not being available, it allowed us to look at a couple of other players centrally. So I feel in the center-back position, we’ve got a real sense of the depth there.”

(This is a developing story…)

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