Olivia Smith is the latest big money move in women's soccer as transfer fees rise rapidly
That makes the 20-year-old Canada forward the most expensive player in the history of the women's game and her move is the just the latest record-breaking deal in recent times.
United States defender Naomi Girma became
women's soccer's first million-dollar player
when she completed her move from San Diego Wave to Chelsea in January for a reported 900,000 pounds ($1.1 million).
And records have tumbled regularly as the profile of the women's game continues to rise.
Here's a look at how the record transfer fee (in USD) in the women's game has increased:
___
2002: Milene Domingues
The Brazilian midfielder moved from Fiammamonza in Italy to Rayo Vallecano in Spain for $310,000.
2020: Pernille Harder
The Denmark forward left Wolfsburg
to join Chelsea
in England for $355,000.
2022: Keira Walsh
The England midfielder moved from Manchester City to Barcelona for $513,000.
2024: Mayra Ramirez
The Colombia forward left Levante in Spain to join Chelsea in a deal worth $542,000.
2024: Racheal Kundananji
The Zambia striker moved
from Madrid CFF in Spain to Bay FC
in the United States for $788,000.
2025: Naomi Girma
The U.S. international became the first $1 million female player with her move to Chelsea.
2025: Olivia Smith
It didn't take long for the record to be broken again — this time by the Canada forward, who is the first 1 million pound ($1.34 million) player.
___
James Robson is at
https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson
___
AP soccer:
https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Arsenal vs AC Milan in Singapore: Arsenal's manager 'would love to have a full stadium'; Toa Payoh flat fire: Male victim known to be a 'hoarder', say residents: Singapore live news
Premier League runners-up Arsenal beat Italian giants AC Milan in a pre-season friendly at the National Stadium in Singapore. However, there is still room for improvement and it's got nothing to do with the club's performance. At a post-match press conference on Wednesday (23 July), Arsenal's manager Mikel Arteta commented on the noticeable empty seats in the venue. Read more in our live blog below, including the latest local and international news and updates. Toa Payoh flat fire: Male victim known to be a 'hoarder' A fatal fire on 22 July in a flat located at Toa Payoh Lorong 1 claimed the lives of two, and a day after, residents told The Straits Times (ST) that they believed one of the victims was a "hoarder". The blaze engulfed a three-room flat in Block 173, forcing over 100 residents to evacuate the building around 7.30 pm. A 56-year-old man and a 61-year-old woman were found lying motionless in a unit, according to the police. They were pronounced dead at the scene by a paramedic. A resident, identified as Mr Wong, claimed to be familiar with the dead man. The 45-year-old told ST on the morning of 23 July, "He collects a lot of things and places them along the corridor." "You can look at what's left from the fire... dolls, chairs, carpets, tables, shoes. They are a fire hazard," he added. According to him, the dead man had supposedly been told by some 'government people' to clear the unwanted belongings. Two other residents told ST that the man kept discarded items from others. When asked for comment, the authorities said the dead man was not known to have an official record of hoarding problems. For more on the Toa Payoh fire, read here. Arsenal vs AC Milan in Singapore: Arsenal's manager 'would love to have a full stadium' Premier League runners-up Arsenal beat Italian giants AC Milan in a pre-season friendly at the National Stadium in Singapore. However, there is still room for improvement and it's got nothing to do with the club's performance. At a post-match press conference on Wednesday (23 July), Arsenal's manager Mikel Arteta commented on the noticeable empty seats in the venue. He said, "Yeah, I would love to have a full stadium, unfortunately, it wasn't the case, but when they've been around the team, they've always been extremely supportive, and, yeah, hopefully the next game's going to be more [full]." Arsenal won 1-0 over AC Milan, with England star Bukayo Saka scoring the decisive goal in the second half. When asked about Sako's performance, Arteta said, "We're all very happy with the performance, especially with the attitude, the quality, the determination that we showed throughout the game. "Obviously to win as well, and yeah, regarding individuals, [Sako] was at a really good level, Bukayo is one of them. We have pushed him through the summer as well, to catch up on other things that he had to, to give himself the best chance to explore his qualities, which are better and more highlighted, and with more impact than physically, at the highest level." For more on the Arsenal-AC Milan match in Singapore, read here. Toa Payoh flat fire: Male victim known to be a 'hoarder' A fatal fire on 22 July in a flat located at Toa Payoh Lorong 1 claimed the lives of two, and a day after, residents told The Straits Times (ST) that they believed one of the victims was a "hoarder". The blaze engulfed a three-room flat in Block 173, forcing over 100 residents to evacuate the building around 7.30 pm. A 56-year-old man and a 61-year-old woman were found lying motionless in a unit, according to the police. They were pronounced dead at the scene by a paramedic. A resident, identified as Mr Wong, claimed to be familiar with the dead man. The 45-year-old told ST on the morning of 23 July, "He collects a lot of things and places them along the corridor." "You can look at what's left from the fire... dolls, chairs, carpets, tables, shoes. They are a fire hazard," he added. According to him, the dead man had supposedly been told by some 'government people' to clear the unwanted belongings. Two other residents told ST that the man kept discarded items from others. When asked for comment, the authorities said the dead man was not known to have an official record of hoarding problems. For more on the Toa Payoh fire, read here. A fatal fire on 22 July in a flat located at Toa Payoh Lorong 1 claimed the lives of two, and a day after, residents told The Straits Times (ST) that they believed one of the victims was a "hoarder". The blaze engulfed a three-room flat in Block 173, forcing over 100 residents to evacuate the building around 7.30 pm. A 56-year-old man and a 61-year-old woman were found lying motionless in a unit, according to the police. They were pronounced dead at the scene by a paramedic. A resident, identified as Mr Wong, claimed to be familiar with the dead man. The 45-year-old told ST on the morning of 23 July, "He collects a lot of things and places them along the corridor." "You can look at what's left from the fire... dolls, chairs, carpets, tables, shoes. They are a fire hazard," he added. According to him, the dead man had supposedly been told by some 'government people' to clear the unwanted belongings. Two other residents told ST that the man kept discarded items from others. When asked for comment, the authorities said the dead man was not known to have an official record of hoarding problems. For more on the Toa Payoh fire, read here. Arsenal vs AC Milan in Singapore: Arsenal's manager 'would love to have a full stadium' Premier League runners-up Arsenal beat Italian giants AC Milan in a pre-season friendly at the National Stadium in Singapore. However, there is still room for improvement and it's got nothing to do with the club's performance. At a post-match press conference on Wednesday (23 July), Arsenal's manager Mikel Arteta commented on the noticeable empty seats in the venue. He said, "Yeah, I would love to have a full stadium, unfortunately, it wasn't the case, but when they've been around the team, they've always been extremely supportive, and, yeah, hopefully the next game's going to be more [full]." Arsenal won 1-0 over AC Milan, with England star Bukayo Saka scoring the decisive goal in the second half. When asked about Sako's performance, Arteta said, "We're all very happy with the performance, especially with the attitude, the quality, the determination that we showed throughout the game. "Obviously to win as well, and yeah, regarding individuals, [Sako] was at a really good level, Bukayo is one of them. We have pushed him through the summer as well, to catch up on other things that he had to, to give himself the best chance to explore his qualities, which are better and more highlighted, and with more impact than physically, at the highest level." For more on the Arsenal-AC Milan match in Singapore, read here. Premier League runners-up Arsenal beat Italian giants AC Milan in a pre-season friendly at the National Stadium in Singapore. However, there is still room for improvement and it's got nothing to do with the club's performance. At a post-match press conference on Wednesday (23 July), Arsenal's manager Mikel Arteta commented on the noticeable empty seats in the venue. He said, "Yeah, I would love to have a full stadium, unfortunately, it wasn't the case, but when they've been around the team, they've always been extremely supportive, and, yeah, hopefully the next game's going to be more [full]." Arsenal won 1-0 over AC Milan, with England star Bukayo Saka scoring the decisive goal in the second half. When asked about Sako's performance, Arteta said, "We're all very happy with the performance, especially with the attitude, the quality, the determination that we showed throughout the game. "Obviously to win as well, and yeah, regarding individuals, [Sako] was at a really good level, Bukayo is one of them. We have pushed him through the summer as well, to catch up on other things that he had to, to give himself the best chance to explore his qualities, which are better and more highlighted, and with more impact than physically, at the highest level." For more on the Arsenal-AC Milan match in Singapore, read here.
Fox Sports
2 hours ago
- Fox Sports
Spain or England? Breaking Down, Predicting the Euro 2025 Final We Wanted To See
It's the juicy rematch everyone wants to see. These nations met in the 2023 World Cup final where Spain was crowned world champions for the first time. Now England will get a shot at revenge and attempt to secure a consecutive Euro title. Here's what you need to know ahead of Sunday's matchup: "You can never write the English off." Chloe Kelly's words have rang true throughout this tournament as England brushed off elimination multiple times. The defending tournament champions needed extra time – and a favorable call in the box – to beat Italy 2-1 in Tuesday's semifinal. And before that, it took a penalty shootout to edge a more imposing Sweden team. On paper, both Sweden and Italy should have won those respective matches. But the Lionesses have that never-say-die mentality and have found different ways to win. Michelle Agyemang, the 19-year-old Arsenal forward, came off the bench in both the quarterfinal and semifinal matches to score brilliant and decisive goals. But it was Kelly, England's hero from the last European championship, who came on as a late sub and provided a spark that carried her team to those victories. Against Sweden, Kelly had the assist on Lucy Bronze's goal in the 79th minute and then converted her penalty during the shootout. In the Italy match, she was tasked with taking the controversial spot kick in the 119th minute. While she missed her initial attempt, the confident forward followed up and fired her own game-winning rebound into the back of the net. Then England's celebration queen paid homage to both Cristiano Ronaldo's "calma, calma" gesture and Thierry Henry's corner-flag pose in fitting fashion: "It's definitely a movie that keeps you on the edge of your seat," Kelly added. Aitana Bonmatí, who was hospitalized with meningitis days before the Euros began, scored the winning goal in extra time to propel Spain to a 1-0 victory over Germany in the second semifinal. Despite not starting the first couple of games while she recovered and eased back onto the pitch, it almost seemed inevitable that Bonmatí would have a magic moment at some point during this tournament. And it happened at the most important time as a penalty shootout looomed. The two-time Ballon d'Or winner made some dangerous runs earlier in the match, but overall Germany defended her well. Then in the 113th minute, she found herself pinned near the end line at an awkward angle looking at the goal. While it seemed at first as if she was looking to cross the ball to one of her teammates, Bonmatí instead slipped a shot past German goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger at the near post. Berger had been outstanding the entire tournament – she was the hero of Germany's quarterfinal win over France. But the Gotham FC goalkeeper was out of position as she likely guessed Bonmatí was going to cross the ball instead of shoot it. She blamed herself afterward. "I can make as many saves as I want, but that one should have been mine, and that's why I'm incredibly sorry. For the team, not for me, but for those who gave their all," Berger said. Now Spain will play in its first-ever European final. On paper, it may seem like England are more battle-tested, having played France and the Netherlands during the group stage before facing Sweden and Italy in the knockout round. But the Spaniards are coming off consecutive challenging games, including a 2-0 quarterfinal win over tournament host Switzerland last week in which they missed two PKs in regulation. Spain or England: Who'll Lift the Trophy? Final prediction: Spain wins, 2-1. This will be an epic fight in the final, no doubt. While Spain has been the steady favorite all along and proven to be the most talented and technical side in this tournament, what we've learned over the last few weeks is you can never count England out. Even if La Roja dominate and maintain possession for most of the game on Sunday – even if they have a lead – the Lionesses are a squad that could pull the rug out at any moment. That's exactly what they did to Sweden and to Italy. At the point in those respective matches when England was mounting its comeback, the opponent had already subbed off some of its most important players, likely thinking the game was in hand. Spain and England know each other well with mostly the same rosters who faced each other in the 2023 World Cup final in Australia. Additionally, many of these players recently clashed when Arsenal defeated Barcelona 1-0 in the Champions League final. So needless to say that Sunday will be a tight, thrilling game and could very well break attendance and viewership records for a Women's European championship game. Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of "Strong Like a Woman," published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her at @LakenLitman . recommended Item 1 of 3 Get more from the UEFA Women's EURO Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Newcastle braced for new Liverpool approach for key man
Liverpool could revisit their interest in Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon, if Luis Diaz leaves the club this summer. Diaz has been subject of an approach from Bayern Munich and is keen on the move to the Bundesliga champions. The German side are preparing an improved bid for the Colombian. Should an exit materialise, Liverpool have been backed to reignite their interest in Gordon. The Reds explored a deal to sign the Liverpudlian last summer as Newcastle needed sales for their Premier League Profit and Sustainability compliance. Gordon is a player that Liverpool admire and journalist Ben Jacobs has said it is one to watch. A potential move for the England international comes just days after Liverpool saw an approach for Newcastle's Alexander Isak turned down. Speaking to Liverpool streamer Grizz Khan on YouTube, Jacobs said: 'There will be a chance, if the left side is being strengthened, that Liverpool revisit Anthony Gordon. That is another one to keep an eye on. 'Rodrygo, it is not that I'm not getting acknowledgement of appreciation from Liverpool, because I am, it's just the idea that they're in Madrid or negotiating or ready to bid, for now feels a bit premature. With Anthony Gordon it is more than that. '12 months ago they had a deal in place to be done. Had Newcastle not sold Elliott Anderson to Nottingham Forest and Yankuba Minteh to Brighton, they would have been in a PSR bind, and Gordon would have definitely got over the line because it was verbally lined up for I think about £75m. 'Suddenly Newcastle were able to pivot because they were reluctant sellers and they found the money another way. 'Given that was only 12 months ago, don't just think about Rodrygo, if Diaz leaves, there may well be a possibility that a revisited approach for Anthony Gordon is made.' Read – See more – Follow The Football Faithful on Social Media: | | | |
