Italy have named their final 23-player squad for Euro 2022 in England this summer, with coach Milena Bertolini almost exclusively naming those based in Serie A.
Five-time back-to-back domestic champions Juventus are well represented by the likes of Sara Gama, Arianna Caruso and star forwards Cristiana Girelli and Barbara Bonansea.
Everton midfielder Aurora Galli, who left Juve for England’s WSL last summer, is the only player based at an overseas club.
Italy are drawn in Group D alongside France, Iceland and Belgium. Le Azzurre impressed at the last World Cup in 2019 by making the quarter-finals after topping a tough group on that occasion and will similarly be hoping to reach the last eight or better again.
That was Italy’s first World Cup appearance since 1999 but they have been near ever-present at the European Championships, only failing to qualify once in the tournament’s history. They were eliminated at the group stage in 2017, but reached the knockouts in both 2009 and 2013.
Italy were one of the original European powerhouses in women’s international football, reaching the Euro final in both 1993 and 1997. They somewhat faded from prominence during the 2000s but are now climbing the ladder once more – Serie A turning professional this year will only help further.
Going into Euro 2022, Italy are ranked 14th in the world by FIFA, which makes them the eighth highest ranked team in Europe.
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)
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