The 24-year-old Girma joined Chelsea from San Diego Wave in January for a reported fee of 900,000 pounds ($1.1 million). That deal surpassed the previous world-record fee of $788,000 that Bay FC paid to sign Zambia striker Rachael Kundananji from Madrid CFF last year.

Sunday was not the Chelsea debut Naomi Girma was expecting — for multiple reasons. She will need to adapt to life at Chelsea quickly.

Naomi Girma, a top defender for the USWNT, made her debut for Chelsea Sunday in a WSL match following a record-breaking transfer fee in January.

Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor has said that United States women's national team defender Naomi Girma will make her debut for the club vs. Brighton & Hove Albion in Women's Super League play on Sunday.

Girma was not part of the U.S. roster at February’s SheBelieves Cup, having missed the January camp due to a minor calf injury, and Bompastor said after a positive fortnight of training, she would likely be included in the squad for Sunday’s trip to Brighton & Hove Albion in the WSL.

Naomi Girma, the U.S. defender and first female million-dollar player, sustained an injury during her Chelsea debut in a 2-2 draw against Brighton & Hove Albion. Her unspecified injury will be assessed further.