The abrupt end to Esther González's celebrated run at Gotham FC, followed by her swift arrival in Saudi Arabia, has left the women's soccer world grappling with unresolved questions about professionalism, pay and principle.
González's time at Gotham had been the stuff of fairytales. The World Cup winner joined a club with little history of success, guided them to their first-ever championship, and followed it with a second title. She spoke warmly of the league and her adopted home, signed a contract extension, was named an MVP finalist, and ultimately became the club's all-time leading scorer. Then, just nine days after breaking that scoring record, everything changed.
On 27 July, Gotham announced it had mutually agreed to part ways with González, stating she needed to "temporarily step away from soccer to attend to personal matters in Spain." The parting was framed warmly by both sides and drew sympathetic reactions across the sport.
That sympathy quickly gave way to confusion. Less than a month later, Al Qadsiah of the Saudi Women's Premier League unveiled González as their newest signing, handing her a one-year deal with an option for a second season. NWSL reporter Jenna Tonelli later revealed that, according to league sources, Gotham had not anticipated González signing elsewhere so quickly.
The timeline has prompted scrutiny over what exactly transpired between the club and player. If Gotham genuinely didn't expect a quick transfer, questions arise over whether that expectation was ever formalized, and whether González's stated reasons for leaving obscured a move that was already in motion. The financial dimension is significant too: Gotham may have missed out on a transfer fee, given that Orlando Pride reportedly received $500,000 when striker Adriana moved to Al Qadsiah in January 2025.
Gotham's roster moves around the same period add further context. Shortly before González's departure, the club signed fellow veteran striker Sam Kerr, without publicly linking the two transactions. Yael Averbuch West, Gotham's president of soccer operations, said there had been discussions with González about how both players' talents could be utilized together. Still, with the NWSL's salary cap limiting what any club can offer, González — at 33, with a limited window left in her career — may have recognized her earning potential at Gotham had plateaued.
González is not the first prominent player to make this move. Portugal's Jéssica Silva and Nigeria's Asisat Oshoala have both transitioned from the NWSL to the Saudi league in recent years, drawn in part by financial backing from the Saudi state as part of its broader investment in domestic football infrastructure. While González's exact salary at Al Qadsiah has not been disclosed, it is widely believed to exceed her NWSL earnings — a detail that underscores persistent pay disparities even in one of the world's better-funded women's leagues.
Beyond the financial questions, González's decision to sign with a Saudi club carries particular weight given the country's criminalization of same-sex relationships. González missed a Gotham fixture in January while her partner, Estefanía Cruz, gave birth to their first child together. Reports from El Mundo indicate she has since removed several social media posts featuring Cruz and their child, though her personal circumstances going forward remain private.
The move has reignited criticism of women's soccer's financial ties to Saudi Arabia. In 2024, 135 players — including two of González's former Gotham teammates, Maitane López and Sinead Farrelly — signed a petition urging FIFA to sever its sponsorship agreement with Saudi oil giant Aramco, citing the kingdom's human rights record.
As the first World Cup winner to join the Saudi Women's Premier League, González's transfer lends the competition unprecedented visibility. Whatever her personal motivations, the episode highlights broader, unresolved tensions in women's football — between financial security and ethical alignment — that extend well beyond one player's decision.
Based on reporting from The Guardian.