Women's EURO 2022 inside track: Italy
Tuesday, July 5, 2022
Article summary
UEFA.com reporter Vieri Capretta recalls Italy's final appearances in 1993 and 1997 – and thinks they could be the surprise package this summer.
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Team profile
Nickname: Azzurre
Women's EURO best: Runners-up (1993, 1997)
Women's EURO 2017: Group stage
Why can Italy win Women's EURO 2022?
Italy have shown constant improvement in recent years, and the players can now add experience to their talent. Results at club level mirror the enthusiasm on show at the most recent FIFA Women's World Cup, and Italy could be one of the surprises of the tournament.
Who are Italy playing and when?
10/07: France vs Italy (21:00 CET, Rotherham)
14/07: Italy vs Iceland (18:00 CET, Manchester)
18/07: Italy vs Belgium (21:00 CET, Manchester)
Who is in Italy's final squad?
Goalkeepers: Francesca Durante (Inter), Laura Giuliani (AC Milan), Katja Schroffenegger (Fiorentina)
Defenders: Elisa Bartoli (Roma), Valentina Bergamaschi (AC Milan), Lisa Boattin (Juventus), Lucia Di Guglielmo (Roma), Maria Luisa Filangeri (Sassuolo), Sara Gama (Juventus), Martina Lenzini (Juventus), Elena Linari (Roma)
Midfielders: Arianna Caruso (Juventus), Valentina Cernoia (Juventus), Aurora Galli (Everton), Manuela Giugliano (Roma), Martina Rosucci (Juventus), Flaminia Simonetti (Inter)
Forwards: Barbara Bonansea (Juventus), Agnese Bonfantini (Juventus), Valentina Giacinti (Fiorentina), Cristiana Girelli (Juventus), Martina Piemonte (AC Milan), Daniela Sabatino (Fiorentina)
Who is Italy coach?
Milenia Bertolini. Appointed in 2017, she led the Azzurre to the World Cup finals for the first time in 20 years in 2019 as they eventually reached the last eight. At club level she has won three league titles as a coach – one with Verona and two with Brescia.
Who is Italy captain?
Sara Gama. With 126 caps to her name, Gama has vast experience and knows how to win a tournament, as she demonstrated by captaining the Under-19s to European Championship victory in 2008. She has won the Italian league six times and is in the Italian Football Hall of Fame.
My favourite Women's EURO memory
Italy finished EURO runners-up twice in the 1990s, but haven't matched those results since. However, still in our minds is the win that ended the 2017 group stage, the Azzurre beating Sweden 3-2. The goalscorers were Daniela Sabatino (2) and Cristiana Girelli, who have been famous faces in Italy's recent history and feature in the current squad.
Did you know?
Girelli not only has scored 46 goals for Italy, but she was also a guest at Italy's biggest song contest, the Festival di Sanremo, where she presented a song. She has a very special goal celebration too, in which she pretends to take a lift – will we see it in July?