By OkayGoal
Naomi Girma is continuing her fight back into the mix at WSL giants Chelsea, but might be too far out from U.S. Women’s National Team involvement later this month.
Girma is continuing to train individually after suffering a muscle injury back in October, Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor confirmed Friday. The USWNT defender missed the international break last month, which featured a two-match series against No. 1-ranked Spain.
It’s been over two months since Girma last played a competitive minute for club or country, logging 90 minutes in each of Chelsea’s UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifying series ties against Spanish club Real Sociedad.
The veteran defender has not played for the USWNT since August 17 and overall has earned just four caps in 2026.
Bompastor ruled Girma out for the Blues’ remaining matches ahead of the November international break, but she hasn’t yet been ruled out of the USWNT’s CONCACAF W Championship roster for the end of the month.
“I think Lauren [James] is good, but I don’t think we expect to see her in this block. That’s the same for Nay [Naomi Girma],” Bompastor said. “She’s now more in advance, not far from starting again to train with the team. So both of them are doing good, but we won’t see them in this block with us.”
Chelsea recently moved top of the WSL table on Saturday after a 1-0 win over reigning league champions Manchester City. The Blues will next host Paris Saint-Germain in UWCL play on Wednesday before traveling to Liverpool on Nov. 21 in WSL action.
Girma was named to Emma Hayes’ preliminary roster for the USWNT’s World Cup Qualifying tournament but could still drop out if she is not 100% fit by the Americans’ Nov. 27 showdown with El Salvador.