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Italy women's national football team

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Italy women's national football team
CountryItaly
AssociationItalian Football Federation
ConfederationUEFA
NicknameLe Azzurre (The Blues)
CoachAndrea Soncin
CaptainCristiana Girelli
Most capsPatrizia Panico (204)
Top scorerPatrizia Panico (110)
FIFA codeITA
FIFA rank14
FIFA max10
FIFA max dateJuly 2003
FIFA min19
FIFA min dateJune 2017

Italy women's national football team. Governed by the Italian Football Federation, the team represents Italy in international women's football. Nicknamed Le Azzurre, they are a consistent force in UEFA competitions and have qualified for multiple editions of the FIFA Women's World Cup and the Summer Olympics. Their history includes a period of significant success in the late 20th century, establishing them as one of Europe's pioneering sides.

History

The team's origins trace back to a first unofficial match in 1968, with the Italian Football Federation officially sanctioning the national side in 1970. Early international fixtures were sporadic, but Italy quickly became a contender, winning the inaugural UEFA Women's Championship in 1969, a tournament not yet officially recognized by UEFA. Their golden era arrived in the 1990s, culminating in a runner-up finish at the 1993 UEFA Women's Championship and a third-place finish at the 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup, where stars like Carolina Morace excelled. After a period of decline, a resurgence began under manager Milena Bertolini, who led the team to the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup quarter-finals and qualification for UEFA Women's Euro 2022.

Team image

The team's traditional home kit features the iconic Azzurri blue shirt, white shorts, and blue socks, mirroring the colors of the House of Savoy. Their crest is the emblem of the Italian Football Federation. Major kit suppliers have included Kappa and later Nike. The team has developed intense rivalries, particularly with neighboring nations like Germany and France, with matches against the latter often being highly charged affairs in European competitions.

Results and fixtures

Recent competitive cycles have seen Italy qualify for major tournaments consistently. Their schedule includes UEFA Women's Nations League matches, FIFA Women's World Cup qualification campaigns, and friendlies against top nations like the United States and Spain. Notable recent results include their run to the quarter-finals of the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France, where they defeated Australia and China in the group stage before losing to the Netherlands.

Players

The squad is composed primarily of players from the domestic Serie A, such as AS Roma, Juventus, and AC Milan, as well as those based abroad in leagues like the FA Women's Super League and Division 1 Féminine. Current key figures include captain and forward Cristiana Girelli, goalkeeper Laura Giuliani, and midfielder Manuela Giugliano. Legendary past players are record cap-holder and scorer Patrizia Panico, the prolific Carolina Morace, and defender Elisabetta Vignotto.

Honours

Italy's trophy cabinet includes one officially recognized major continental title. Their success in the early UEFA Women's Championship tournaments laid the foundation for their status. * UEFA Women's Championship ** Winners (2): 1969, 1993 ** Runners-up (2): 1991, 1997 * FIFA Women's World Cup ** Third place (1): 1991 * Summer Olympics ** Participations: 1991

Records

Patrizia Panico holds the records for both most appearances (204) and most goals (110) for the national team. One of the team's largest victories was a 15–0 win over North Macedonia in 2014 during World Cup qualification. Their highest FIFA Women's World Ranking was 10th, achieved in July 2003. Notable individual tournament records include Carolina Morace finishing as joint top scorer at the 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup.

Managers

The team has been led by several notable managers throughout its history. The current head coach is Andrea Soncin, appointed in 2023. His predecessor, Milena Bertolini, is widely credited with revitalizing the team, securing World Cup qualification and overseeing their successful 2019 campaign. Other significant former managers include Sergio Guenza, who guided the team during the 1990s heyday, and Carolina Morace, who served as both a legendary player and later as the national team coach.

Category:Italy women's national football team Category:European women's national association football teams Category:National sports teams of Italy