Esther González suddenly departs Gotham FC, citing 'personal matters

Spanish forward and NWSL Golden Boot contender Esther González is departing Gotham FC after mutually terminating her contract, the club announced Monday.

González will "temporarily" step away from soccer to return to her home country of Spain, per the team. Gotham did not include any specifics, saying only that González will "attend to personal matters."

Gracias por todo, Esther 🫶 #GothamFC and forward @Estheeer9 have agreed to a mutual contract termination as she temporarily steps away from soccer to attend to personal matters in Spain. We’re wishing her nothing but the best as she takes this time in Spain with her family.… pic.twitter.com/zseWskWA7c

— Gotham FC (@GothamFC) July 27, 2026

González joined the team in 2023, helping lead them to their first NWSL championship . The forward was a finalist for league MVP in 2025, as Gotham once again claimed the championship . González is the club's all-time leading scorer, racking up 30 goals since 2023.

In the team’s statement, González said that the club “will always hold a very special place in my heart.”

"This journey has surpassed every expectation I had when I first came to Gotham," González said. "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."

Born and raised in Huéscar, Spain, González had most recently played for Real Madrid before crossing the pond to join Gotham. González and her wife, Estefanía Cruz, announced in January that they had given birth to their first child.

After a slow start to the season, González had finally started to show flashes. The 33-year-old forward scored two braces in her last three games, knocking in two goals against the Utah Royals on July 10 and against the Seattle Reign on July 18. That brought her up to six goals on the season — short of league scoring leader Barbra Banda, who has scored 12 goals for the Orlando Pride this year, but moving rapidly up the list.

González was not available for Gotham's 2-2 draw against the Portland Thorns on Friday, with the team citing an excused absence .

González, Gotham's leading scorer this season, will be missed by the team, but her departure does feel timely as the club brings in all-time NWSL leading scorer Sam Kerr. Kerr started in Friday's game with González absent, and scored her first goal since returning to the league.

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