Naomi Girma
A generational defensive talent who redefined the center-back position with her serene intelligence and technical grace for club and country.
Born 2000 (age 26)·American soccer player·Birthday: June 14·Generation Z
Biography
Naomi Girma didn't just break into the U.S. women's soccer landscape; she calmly restructured it from the back. At Stanford, she was the quiet engine of a national championship team, a defender whose elegance on the ball and preternatural reading of the game made the difficult look simple. Drafted first overall in the 2022 NWSL Draft by the San Diego Wave, she immediately transformed the expansion team's defense, winning Rookie of the Year and Defender of the Year in her first season—an unprecedented double. Her ascent to the U.S. national team was just as swift, becoming a starting fixture known for her lockdown one-on-one defending and ability to spark attacks with precise long passes. In an era of athleticism, Girma stands out for her cerebral approach, a player whose impact is measured in thwarted dangers before they even materialize, establishing herself as the new gold standard for American defenders.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Naomi was born in 2000, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Naomi Was Born
The biggest hits of 2000
#1 Movie
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Best Picture
Gladiator
#1 TV Show
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
Naomi's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
2000Born
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2005Started school
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2013Became a teenager
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2016Could drive
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2018Could vote
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2021Turned 21
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 26 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won both the NWSL Rookie of the Year and Defender of the Year awards in her debut professional season (2022).
- Was the first overall pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft by the San Diego Wave FC.
- Anchored the defense for the U.S. team that won the 2022 Concacaf W Championship.
- Won the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship with Stanford University in 2019.
Did You Know?
She was childhood friends and youth soccer teammates with fellow U.S. national team star Sophia Smith.
In college, she majored in symbolic systems, a interdisciplinary program combining computer science and psychology.
She is the daughter of Ethiopian immigrants.
Girma played for the U.S. youth national teams at the U-17, U-20, and U-23 levels before her senior debut.
“My parents always taught me that whatever you do, you do it with excellence.”
