Real Madrid were convinced to make their historic move after watching Schroder dominate the inaugural UEFA Women's Europa Cup last month. The attacker was the star of the tournament, scoring eight goals in nine matches. She dismantled Hammarby in the two-legged final, netting one goal in the away leg before hammering a hat-trick in the return fixture to secure the trophy.
Chelsea had targeted Schroder, but Real Madrid moved decisively to win the contested race. Her phenomenal performances for Hacken and the Swedish national team under manager Tony Gustavsson ensured that Europe's elite clubs were willing to break financial records to secure her signature this summer.