Esther Gonzalez Joins Al Qadsiah, LGBTQ+ Fans React
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- Esther Gonzalez, the 33-year-old Spain forward and 2023 World Cup winner, signed with Saudi Women's Premier League side Al Qadsiah on Sunday after mutually terminating her contract with NWSL champions Gotham FC in July.
- Gotham FC fans voiced disappointment over the messaging around her exit and the club missing out on a transfer fee, while LGBTQ+ supporters questioned her motivations and raised concerns for her safety — same-sex relationships remain illegal in Saudi Arabia.
- Spanish outlet El Mundo reported that Gonzalez deleted all photos of herself with her wife and their first child, born in January, from her social media accounts after signing for Al Qadsiah.
- Jordan Henderson's 2023 transfer to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq drew similar criticism, including from openly gay footballer Jake Daniels, who called it "a slap in the face"; Henderson left after six months.
- Gonzalez won two NWSL titles, an NWSL Challenge Cup, and the Concacaf W Champions Cup in three seasons at Gotham, whose contract was due to run until 2027.
- Al Qadsiah finished fourth in the Saudi Women's Premier League in 2025-26, according to the BBC.
- Gotham FC declined to comment when contacted by BBC Sport.
Why it matters: Gonzalez's case crystallizes the cost LGBTQ+ athletes absorb when taking Saudi paychecks: the El Mundo report of her scrubbing family photos from social media makes the "personal reasons" framing collapse. The Henderson precedent — lavish arrival, exit within six months — suggests the commercial logic of these deals routinely collides with the political one within a single season.
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