Esther González did more than score goals for Gotham FC. The Spanish international helped lift the Bats to new heights during her four incredible seasons at the club.
“From the moment she joined, you could tell she was a special player,” Gotham’s acting head coach Shaun Harris said. “She was a different kind of player, something that wasn’t too common, especially in this league.”
Coaches and teammates knew that González could pop up to score a game-changing goal, especially in the most pressured situations.
“She was incredible,” Harris stated. “Anywhere in and around the box, she was a goalscorer. She could drop deep, connect play and link up play. She was really important for us.”
Esther ‘Turned up in Big Moments’
The 5-foot-3 forward scored the game-winning goal in Gotham’s 2023 NWSL Championship Game victory over OL Reign. González was voted as best player at the inaugural 2024–25 Concacaf W Champions Cup and took home the Golden Ball.
Her 82nd-minute goal was the difference in the tournament final against Tigres UANL.
“She turned up in big moments. Whenever you’re down on your luck, if Esther is on the pitch, you’ve always got a chance. She carried that responsibility really well.”
Gotham FC midfielder Sofia Cook remembers what it was like to train with González for the first time early into her 2025 rookie season.
Cook was left awestruck by Esther’s remarkable control, balance and technique.
“I remember first watching her play and train, and I was like, “Literally no one can take the ball from her.
“I thought that was the craziest thing ever, especially at this level. I was like, “Wow, that’s sick.” Getting to learn from her and play with her meant so much to me.”
The Quiet Leader Who Set the Standard
Harris explained why González was the total package, in her completeness as a striker but also in how she connected with teammates and forced them to raise their standards.
“Getting her signed was huge for us,” he recalled. “When she first came, she didn’t speak fluent English, but she picked things up straight away. I thought that was really impressive. She made a big effort to understand what was going on and the players she was playing with.
“She was more of a quiet leader who led by example and by the standards she set. Her defensive efforts don’t get praised enough because everyone talks about the goals and the link-up play. Her ability to press center-backs and then recover and defend the box is unheard of. She’s a very special and talented player.”
A Lasting Legacy in Gotham FC History
After agreeing to a mutual contract termination on Monday to step aside from football to attend to personal matters in Spain, González departed the club with 38 goals scored in 83 matches across all competitions.
“Gotham FC will always hold a very special place in my heart,” González said on Monday. “From the moment I arrived, I felt something unique about this club — the people, the environment, the way everyone works together every single day. I am grateful for each and every moment shared with my teammates, the coaches and every single member of this club.
“This journey has surpassed every expectation I had when I first came to Gotham. Together, we achieved everything there is to achieve, and I will forever be proud to say that with this club, I won it all. But beyond the trophies, Gotham is the place where I grew in so many ways — as a player, as a professional and, most importantly, as a person. And it is here, in New Jersey, where my family grew, too.
“I carry so many incredible memories with me, but I know that every time I think of this club, I will do so with a smile on my face. Thank you, Gotham, for everything.”
She closes the book on her Gotham career as the club’s all-time leading scorer and having played an instrumental role in the Bats lifting four trophies (two 2023 and 2025 NWSL Championships, the 2024-25 Concacaf W Champions Cup and 2026 NWSL Challenge Cup).
Though records are made to be broken, González’s place in Gotham FC history is secure. She arrived as a world-class striker and leaves as one of the most influential players to ever wear the Gotham crest.
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