Women’s transfer record history: Kundananji overtakes Ramirez،
As women's football continues to progress, so does the world transfer record. And this week, Zambian star Racheal Kundananji became the most expensive player in history.
Kundananji, 23, left Spanish side Madrid CFF to join fledgling National Women's Soccer League club Bay FC, who are set to make their debut in the North American top flight in the 2024 season.
After scoring 25 goals in Liga F last season, the striker joined Bay FC in a mammoth transfer worth an initial €735,000 ($787,600) – with an additional €75,000 ($80,000) added on. – a high figure that comfortably eclipses the previous world record, set last month when Colombian striker Mayra Ramírez left Levante for Chelsea for €450,000 ($500,000).
Kundananji's decision comes after a January transfer window in which international spending in women's football reached an all-time high, according to FIFA, with clubs around the world collectively exchanging around €1.96 million (2 .1 million dollars) in transfer fees – which is approximately equivalent to a 150% increase compared to winter 2023.
Yes, there's still a long way to go before we get close to the men's record, set by Neymar's €222 million ($241 million) transfer from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017. But here's a look of the evolution of female transfer. record of the last decades and the players responsible for its beating.
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Milène Domingues – Fiammamonza at Rayo Vallecano
€235,000, 2002
Also known as “Mika”, the Brazilian international became the first player to earn a fee in excess of €200,000 when she left Italian club Fiammamonza to sign for Rayo Vallecano in 2002. The midfielder moved to be with her then husband, Selection legend Ronaldo Nazario, who also left Italy for Spain to join Real Madrid.
Unfortunately, things didn't work out due to a Spanish FA rule stating that clubs were prohibited from fielding foreign players in competitive matches. Milene therefore never played a single match for Rayo and received exemption from returning to Italy to join Fiammamonza.
Nevertheless, she held the world record for transfers for almost two decades.
Pernille Harder – VfB Wolfsburg to Chelsea
€280,000, 2020
After making a name for herself in Germany with VfL Wolfsburg, the Denmark international became the new record holder when she left Women's Super League giants Chelsea after agreeing a three-year deal in September 2020 .
The two-time UEFA Player of the Year went on to win three WSL/FA Cup doubles in three consecutive seasons with the Blues, before returning to Germany with Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023.
Keira Walsh – Manchester City to Barcelona
€400,000, 2022
The England midfielder broke the world record in the summer of 2022 when she left Manchester City to join all-conquering Barcelona, who previously became the first Spanish women's club to win the European treble after winning the league title , the Champions League and the Copa de la Reina the previous season.
Walsh was also in fine form after starting every game for the Lionesses in their triumphant journey to glory at the 2022 European Championships, and duly sealed his €400,000 move (plus a possible additional €62,000) to Liga F during of the last matches. days of the summer transfer window.
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Mayra Ramirez – Levante to Chelsea
€450,000, 2024
Walsh's record transfer took 18 months to complete and was surpassed at the start of the January 2024 window when Chelsea made a big move to bring in Ramirez from Spanish top-flight side Levante.
The 24-year-old had already scored six goals in seven Liga F matches when the Blues set a new benchmark in the transfer world by parting with an initial fee of €450,000 plus a further €50,000 in potential additions.
Ramirez also became the most expensive player in British history (surpassing the €350,000 contract that took Jill Roord from Wolfsburg to Manchester City in 2023.)
Racheal Kundananji – Madrid CFF to Bay FC
€735,000, 2024
After finishing second top scorer in the Spanish top flight last campaign, Kundananji moved to the NSWL and signed a four-year deal with San Francisco-based Bay FC, who are set to make their competitive debut when the league kicks off in half-March.
The striker scored 33 goals in 43 league appearances for Madrid CFF, but a base fee of €735,000 (plus an additional €75,000) easily broke the record.
The talented Zambian international also became the first African player, male or female, to break a world transfer record.
