PARIS — In new U.S. coach Emma Hayes’ estimation, Naomi Girma is the best defender she’s ever seen.

“Ever,” Hayes adds for emphasis.

Girma has been leading a U.S. backline at the Paris Olympics, anchored by goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, that has allowed opponents just two goals the whole tournament.

A pair of extra-time 1-0 victories over both Japan and Germany in the knockout round put the United States in the gold medal match for the first time since 2012. The Americans will face Brazil on Saturday at Parc des Princes in Paris.

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“I’ve never seen a player as good as her at a center back. She got everything: Poise, composure, she defends, she anticipates, she leads,” said Hayes, who worked with such defenders as Millie Bright and Magdalena Eriksson while leading Chelsea for 12 years. “I mean, wow. Unbelievable.”

The 24-year-old Girma is among talented crop of young players — including forwards Sophia Smith, Mallory Swanson and Trinity Rodman — playing on a team in transition under Hayes.

Girma, whose nickname is Nay, was captain of the Stanford team that won a national championship in 2019. Smith, who has scored three goals at the Olympics, was also on that Cardinal squad, along with Catarina Macario, who was selected to come to France but sustained a minor injury during the team’s preparations.

Girma made her debut for the national team in 2022. That same year she was the No. 1 pick in the National Women’s Soccer League draft by the San Diego Wave and won both the league’s Rookie of the Year and Defender of the Year honors.

She was the U.S. Soccer women’s Player of the Year in 2023.

“She’s the best defender in the world. No one can get past her,” Smith said. “She’s the glue to our team. She locks it down. I know that everyone on the field feels so confident that whenever the ball is in and around the box, we’re going to get it out, we’ve got Nay back there.”

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Americans Inspired Under New Coach Hayes

The Americans have been inspired under Hayes, who was hired last November but didn’t join the team in person until late May while she finished out the the season with Chelsea.

Hayes has been tasked with turning around a team that made its earliest exit ever from the Women’s World Cup last year.

“Last year, a lot of us were transitioning in, and now we’ve been on the national team, we’ve played at the international level for a lot longer and understand what it takes to win here,” the unassuming Girma said.

At the final whistle of the Americans’ latest victory, the grueling semifinal against Germany on Tuesday in Lyon, Girma ran to embrace Naeher. The goalkeeper had made an amazing leaping save with her foot in the waning moments of the game to preserve the clean sheet.

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U.S. to Face Brazil in Gold Medal Match

The victory set up the final in Paris against Brazil, which defeated World Cup winners Spain 4-2 in Marseille in the late semifinal on Tuesday. Spain will play Germany for the bronze medal on Friday in Lyon.

“When I look at Nay, just steady. She’s steady. And that’s something that you need,” Swanson said. “Winning balls, completing passes, creating the tempo, every game has been consistent from her. Obviously one of the best center-backs in the world, if not the best.”