Defenders Girma, Fox Prove To Be True National (Team) Treasures

Forbes

a day ago

AUSTIN, TX - OCTOBER 22: Naomi Girma, Ashley Sanchez and Emily Fox of the United States pose for a ... More photo during USWNT training at St. David's Performance Center on October 22, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
When she returned to play with the U.S. Women's National Team earlier this week, Emily Fox was given the red-carpet treatment.
Literally.
After all, it's not every day you are a member of a team that captures the UEFA Women's Champions League. The right back is a member of Arsenal, which upset favored Barcelona for the title, 1-0, in Lisbon, Portugal on Saturday, May 24.
As she entered a room at the team's hotel in Minneapolis, a stunned Fox walked onto the carpet while her U.S. teammates and team staff waved American flags and popped silly string, celebrating her accomplishment.
"Yeah, very surprised and shocked when I walked up to the second floor in camp," Fox said during a Zoom media press conference on Wednesday. "It was amazing. It was really cool that literally everyone was there, like staff players, the whole thing. It's really special, just because you have club, you have country, and then it kind of meshes at some points."
It was heartening to see a defender, an elite one at that, getting her due, particularly by her teammates. For the most part, defenders are ignored by the media, unless they make a major blunder or score a goal.
Fox and USWNT center back Naomi Girma might not be known for their goal-scoring prowess as the likes of Sophia (nee Smith) Wilson, Trinity Rodman and Mallory Swanson have proved - but what they bring to the team is something that cannot be quantified:
Superior defending at the highest level of competitions.
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 10: Naomi Girma of Chelsea celebrates with the Barclays Women's Super League ... More Trophy following her team's victory in during the Barclays Women's Super League Match between Chelsea FC and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on May 10, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Harriet Lander - Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
Girma helped Chelsea - USWNT head coach Emma Hayes' former club team, incidentally - capture the English women's treble - Women's Super League (a near-perfect 19-0-3 mark), FA Cup and Women's League Cup.
In fact, after Girma's exceptional performance at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, Hayes called the center back the best woman's defender on the planet.
"Look, she's the best defender I've ever seen," Hayes said after the team's 1-0 semifinal victory over Germany. "I've never seen a player as good as her at the back. She's got everything, poise, composure, she can defend, she anticipates, she leads. [She's] unbelievable."
What is good for the team and scary for USA opponents is that both players are in their prime, and not grizzled old veterans. But they play like they have hundreds of games under their collective belts.
Girma turns 25 on June 14, Fox 27 on July 5.
Girma, who has represented her country 44 times, was honored as the 2024 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year and then became the first woman involved in a million-dollar transfer ($1.1 million), joining the Blues from the San Diego Wave (National Women's Soccer League) in January.
"It was a big move for me, not just soccer-wise, life-wise, too," she said on Zoom on Wednesday. "It was a big step out of my comfort zone, leaving California, living somewhere different and playing in a different culture and country. It's a new challenge and new test, and that's been really exciting. To be in a different training environment and playing different types of teams has been a big test for me, and something that I hope I'll continue to grow with.'
Injuries limited Girma to eight games across all competitions, including five in the league.
Moving to a new team is difficult enough.
Add another country and then an injury, and it becomes that much more challenging. In her WSL debut, Girma suffered an injury and was forced out of the match with a leg injury in the 59th minute of a 2-2 draw with Brighton on March 2.
Girma persevered before returning in a 4-0 victory over Crystal Palace on April 23.
"I think for a lot of us, you only see the tiniest moments of our career," she said. "And a lot of it, it does happen behind the scenes, and a lot of it isn't easy and isn't fun. I think in those moments for me, a lot of it is just relying on family and friends and my support system. Moving to London, that was harder, just because I was new. But I was able to find small wins in life, and had family visit and just explored the city and did everything I could to get healthy. In those moments, it really just is finding joy in little things and trying to find whatever joy you can off the field, because it's not always going to be going your way."
Three major championships over several months can make life seem better.
Even one title can, as well.
LISBON, PORTUGAL - MAY 24: Jenna Nighswonger of Arsenal poses for a photograph with Emily Fox and ... More the UEFA Women's Champions League trophy after the UEFA Women's Champions League final match between Arsenal WFC and FC Barcelona at Estadio Jose Alvalade on May 24, 2025 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Alex Burstow/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Barcelona was heavy favorites, but Arsenal scored via Swedish international Stina Blackstenius' goal in the 75th minute and held on to win, 1-0.
Champions League matches are at another level, to which Fox has been accustomed.
"You look at the Brazil game for the Olympics, [the] last game of a tough tournament with Barcelona, last game of the long season," Fox said. 'So, I definitely think leaning on that experience and that grind, and we did talk about before the game, like being able to suffer and being okay with it, because of the talent that Barca has, and being okay with not having the ball, which normally, as a team, we don't do."
Arsenal was honored at its home venue, Emirates Stadium on Monday. Fox called it "surreal."
"Just honored in the sense that I think when you're in it, it's hard to appreciate it, because you're always used to just going, and what's the next thing," she said. "When you have that time to connect with the fans, and the entire season ... I just think it's been an unreal experience."
The next day Fox was back in the USA for another, albeit smaller celebration with her teammates.
For most of the WSL season, Fox and Arsenal (15-4-3, 48) essentially played second fiddle to Chelsea, finishing 12 points behind their rivals. The Blues won both league encounters, 2-1 on the road on Oct. 12, and 1-0 at home on Jan. 26.
Fox said that those London derby matches are "intense."
"The atmosphere, leading up to the game, the intensity and just feels a little bit different," she added. "There's a lot of charged energy, especially depending if it's home or away. But they're games I always look forward to. I feel like specifically in those games, that's where I grow the most, because it is very uncomfortable. It is the best of the best. With the rivalry that we have with them, you never know what can happen."
Fox said that there hasn't been any trash talk between her and Girma.
"If anything, I would say Cat, but then she'll laugh afterwards," Fox said, referring to her USWNT teammate, Catarina Macario, who plays for Chelsea. "We both just smile at each other before the game and then see what happens."
In fact, several U.S. London-based players haven gotten together for a brunch. The group included Chelsea forward Mia Fishel, Arsenal defender Jenna Nighswonger, Brighton & Hove Albion forward Madison Haley, Macario, Girma and Fox.
MARSEILLE, FRANCE - JULY 28: Emily Fox of United States (L) and Naomi Girma of United States (C), ... More Trinity Rodman of United States (R) enter the field during the Women's group B match between United States and Germany during the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de Marseille on July 28, 2024 in Marseille, France. (Photo by Daniela Porcelli/)
With their club seasons finished, Girma and Fox will work together in some friendlies.
It starts on Saturday, May 31, when the USA faces China PR in Minneapolis, Minn. (5:30 p.m. ET, TBS, Max), and continues in St. Louis against Jamaica on Tuesday, June 3 at 8 p.m. ET (TNT, Max).
The pressure and intensity might be different than what the two defenders experienced across the Atlantic. These games are friendlies, but there is plenty to prove. One thing is certain, neither player likes to lose.
It has been a while since Girma played with the national team - not since a 2-1 win at the Netherlands on Dec. 3. And Hayes has given many young players a chance to show their worth at the international level.
Girma said that Hayes "was excited to have me back and just wanted me to focus on feeling good within the team, getting comfortable with playing with new people and just enjoy being back.
"The leadership and other things will come as we're playing in sessions and in games," she added. "So. she really just wanted me to have fun and be myself."
Winning those games would make it even better.