The Colombian Mayra Ramírez shines more and more. This Saturday, she was the big star of the match that established Chelsea as the champion of the English women’s soccer league. She scored two goals and assisted two others, allowing her team to comfortably win 6-0 against Manchester United. “Mayra, this is incredible,” Chelsea’s X account commented after the second goal from the Colombian, who skillfully avoided two defenders to get into the rival area and score with a powerful shot from her right foot. “No one can stop her today,” added the official account of the English tournament.
Born 25 years ago in Sibaté, a few kilometers south of Bogotá, Ramírez has established herself in recent years as one of the leading figures in women’s football. In January, she became the first Colombian to arrive at Chelsea and the second to land in England. She was the most expensive signing in women’s soccer up to that point: around 450,000 euros, or $488,000. “Being part of such a great team is a dream that I have had since I was a child and that now comes true,” she had commented at the time. Previously, she had played for the Colombian clubs Real Pasión, Fortaleza and Independiente Medellín. She also for the Spanish Sporting Club de Huelva (2020-2022) and Levante (2022-2024), which she could not retain after applying cuts to the women’s team to prioritize the men’s team.
Making a place at Chelsea was not easy. The club is one of the greats of English football: with this title, it has won five consecutive championships in the English women’s league and seven in total. Ramírez has teammates of the stature of the German Sjoeke Nüsken, the Australian Sam Kerr and the English Fran Kirby, who this Saturday played her last game with the team. Additionally, she suffered injuries that kept her out of several games in recent months.
However, the Colombian managed to make a place for herself easily. This Saturday, Chelsea fans had no doubt that Ramírez is now one of their biggest stars. “Make a statue of Mayra Ramírez in Kingsmeadow or Stamford Bridge now [estadios del club londinense]“said a fan on social networks. “I don’t know how anyone could stop Mayra Ramírez. What a player,” wrote another.
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Farewell to Emma Hayes
This Saturday’s victory has another special component for Chelsea. Coach Emma Hayes, who took the reins of the team in 2012 and led it to multiple feats in the last decade, is leaving the club to embark on a new stage with the United States Women’s National Team. It seemed like it was going to have a bitter end: Chelsea had been left out of the Champions League after losing against Barcelona a few weeks ago and was behind Manchester City in the local league. But an 8-0 victory against Bristol City on May 5 gave the team hope again. Now, after the game at Old Trafford in Manchester, Hayes leaves with his head held high.
“I can’t say that it was the title that I enjoyed the most, but it was undoubtedly the most difficult and that is why it is, probably, the sweetest. “I’m so relieved that it’s over,” Hayes told Sky Sports, in statements reported by Reuters. The coach has emphasized the importance of consolidating a strong team over the years: “I put together a team of leaders from the beginning and I felt that it was essential that we reach emotional maturity for a stadium as important as this.”
Meanwhile, Chelsea tinged their celebrations with songs in Spanish. “Champions!” The club’s social networks celebrated, in reference to the combination of “Champions” in English and “Campeones” in Spanish. “Champions, champions! “Ole, ole, ole!” the players exclaimed as they celebrated with the cup. Mayra Ramírez, for her part, smiled and enjoyed this victory. Now, ahead of her, she has one of the biggest challenges: the Paris Olympic Games with the Colombian National Team.
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