"What's it going to take for a defender to win the Ballon d'Or?"
Naomi Girma burst out laughing at the question. "I thought you were going to say the World Cup!"
"Yea, that'd be really cool," she said about the Ballon d'Or going to a defender. "I like those awards, but I'm more worried about the championships."
The moment was a perfect encapsulation of the mindset of the 23-year-old center-back with the infectious smile; a player, focused more on the team than herself, and a USWNT starter eyeing the monumental goal in front of her this summer.
Set to embark on her first Women's World Cup journey, the San Jose, California native has already won so many things in her career.
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It began with a College Cup at Stanford in 2019, her sophomore year, which Girma told The Sporting News was her favorite trophy she's won so far. She coupled that with a Pac-12 Defender of the Year individual honor, which she won again in 2021, her final season before turning pro.
The winning continued at the pro level, becoming the first player to win both NWSL Rookie of the Year and Defender of the Year in the same season. "To be a rookie and to know that it's not just comparing myself against rookies in the league, but everyone in the league, that's an accomplishment I'm proud of."
Girma is known as an uplifting locker room presence, whose cheer and positivity rubs off on her teammates. This is nothing new for the San Diego Wave defender, whose demeanor was described as "contagious" by her Stanford coach Paul Ratcliffe.
But don't be misled by Girma's unwavering smile; her defensive presence on the field is felt. She's "just f—in good," according to Megan Rapinoe back in February, to which Girma responded, "Yea very typical Pinoe" with a chuckle, before admitting that having "someone who is always setting a very high standard compliment you feels great."
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"Knowing that your peers respect you and have confidence in you is one of the best feelings. So I think during a pivotal time in my career, to have her say that was really cool."
Girma is an all-around star at central defender, which is an evolving position in the modern game. Not only is she just a flat-out good defender, she is also a perfect stylistic fit for current USWNT under Vlatko Andonovski, who prefers a possession style build-up.
"Being comfortable on the ball is something that has come naturally to me, and is an important part of my game," Girma said, indicating that she started as a midfielder in her early youth days before moving into defense. That was evident on her assist to Sophia Smith in the fifth minute of the CONCACAF W Championship final against Jamaica, feeding a quality long-range vertical ball which allowed Smith to carve a defender to pieces en route to the opening goal. The goal was nominated by CONCACAF for Best Goal of 2022.
Still, as all professionals do, she believes there's room for improvement in her game on and off the field. She identified being more of an on-field leader as one of those areas.
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"As a center-back, knowing it's your responsibility to organize the team, that means not only knowing where you're supposed to be, but knowing where everyone is supposed to be, too, so continuing to train that is something I'm working on."
Another thing Girma will be looking to improve at the World Cup this summer is her self care. "For me, recovery and nutrition were two big things that I thought I could improve as a pro," Girma said in reference to her endorsement of protein drink maker Rockin Protein. "[Recovery and nutrition] were two things that are built in when you're in college, but you have to do it yourself when you're a professional."
Speaking with The Sporting News ahead of the send-off friendly against Wales in her hometown, she described her own support system — her family, who has been there every step of the way.
They will be in attendance to watch Girma in action at PayPal Park before traveling across the globe to the World Cup. With their support in tow, the 23-year-old will hope to add the most coveted award of them all to her bursting trophy case — a World Cup.