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1 month ago
It is not difficult to understand why immoderate Italian nine would want to motion Alisha Lehmann: past play she helped Juventus triumph a convention and cup double, she is an world winger who accumulated 19 goals and 10 assists successful England’s Women’s Super League and, yes, location is nan mini matter of her 16.7m Instagram followers and 12m TikTok followers, an online beingness that commands a commercialized powerfulness immense for immoderate jock and beautiful unsocial successful women’s football.
What is possibly not truthful instantly evident is why, aged 26 and pinch her highest shot years astir apt ahead, she would opt to subordinate a nine that vanished successful nan bottommost half of Serie A past play and cannot yet connection European football. However, nan Switzerland forward’s reasons for signing a three-year woody pinch FC Como Women, she says, person a deeper meaning.
“It’s an independent club, afloat focused connected women’s shot – and that really matters to me,” nan erstwhile Aston Villa, Everton and West Ham subordinate says. “From nan start, I could spot this wasn’t conscionable different team; it’s a task pinch existent intent and vision. [So] signing pinch FC Como Women conscionable felt right.”
The club, nestled successful nan picturesque Italian lakes, were bought successful 2024 by nan finance group Mercury13, which has pledged to “rethink shot ownership” and tailor everything wrong nan organisation towards women’s football. The group, founded by Victoire Souki Cogevina and Mario Malavé, has attracted high-profile investors from nan shot world, including nan Italy icon Giorgio Chiellini and – successful June – nan erstwhile Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata, and intends to beryllium a multi-club ownership group. Como person nary ties to immoderate men’s club.
“It sends nan connection that being strong, eager and expressive tin each spell manus successful hand; that’s important for nan early of nan sport,” says Lehmann, who likes nan club’s “female-first mentality” and evident ethos.
“We’re successful a infinitesimal wherever women’s shot tin specify itself connected its ain terms, and independent clubs for illustration Como Women person nan opportunity successful starring nan movement. [It] isn’t conscionable astir winning matches. It’s astir building thing that lasts. This is nan first clip I’ve joined an independent club. That was a large portion of my decision. It shows location is simply a different measurement of doing things.”
The club’s main executive, Nicola Verdun, expressed delight astatine signing Lehmann, saying: “She brings not only her talent connected nan transportation but besides her characteristic and passion for nan game.” It is nan latest headline-grabbing move astatine a nine that, successful May, sought to raise consciousness of nan challenges female players tin look successful uncovering activity aft their playing careers erstwhile their erstwhile Italy defender Alia Guagni had her CV printed connected nan beforehand of her kit for nan last lucifer of her career. Lehmann, though, has not headed 160km north-east from Turin for a trading gimmick aliases to beryllium a team’s poster star.
“I came present to play shot and dream to gain my spot by moving hard,” she says. “I came present to compete and to turn arsenic an athlete. The remainder will travel if I enactment existent to that. For me, it’s simple: I want to play arsenic overmuch arsenic possible, thief nan team, and bask football. What I emotion is that they [Como] return nan crippled seriously, but besides create abstraction for players to beryllium themselves.”
It is besides an intriguing clip to beryllium portion of Italian women’s football, aft Le Azzurre’s awesome tally to nan Euro 2025 semi-finals, wherever they were starring England successful Geneva until Michelle Agyemang’s 96th-minute equaliser and mislaid successful other time. It was Italy’s first awesome semi-final since 1997 and nan state is among those hoping to big nan adjacent Women’s European Championship successful 2029.
“There’s truthful overmuch imaginable here,” says Lehmann, who played astatine nan Euros successful her location state this summertime and astatine nan 2023 World Cup. “Italy’s capacity showed nan value and tone successful nan crippled here, and now group are paying attention. I deliberation nan convention is fresh to return a large measurement forward. With much visibility, investment, and committedness to nan players, Serie A Women tin go a existent unit successful Europe. Being portion of that travel is thing I’m really excited about.”
She is besides hopeful for nan early of nan athletics successful Switzerland, for whom she scored her first extremity 7 years agone and has 62 caps. La Nati attracted national-record crowds successful July en way to facing Spain successful nan quarter-finals, arsenic nan Swiss nationalist became much engaged successful women’s shot than ever, and Lehmann says: “The Euros were unforgettable. It was affectional seeing really galore group came retired to support us.
“I really judge it changed really group spot women’s shot successful Switzerland and beyond. The passion is there, nan assemblage is real. Now it’s astir turning that momentum into semipermanent growth.”
Quote of nan day
This was ne'er conscionable a launch. It was a societal experiment. We wanted to beryllium nan powerfulness of women’s shot and nan taste weight of this club’s story. And it worked” – Stef McLoughlin, caput of commercialized astatine Glasgow City, after nan covert motorboat of nan club’s caller kit. City sold 130 shirts successful 10 days via nan women’s shot garment retailer Foudys, which listed nan kit anonymously. Fans bought it without knowing nan nine aliases colours, responding to teasers arsenic to which club it could be.
Talking points
Taylor takes Reds role: The erstwhile Manchester City head Gareth Taylor has been appointed arsenic nan caput coach of Liverpool. As reported by nan Guardian, nan nine held talks pinch him arsenic portion of their hunt for a head aft Matt Beard’s departure successful February. The adjunct head Amber Whiteley took interim charge, guiding Liverpool to a seventh-placed decorativeness successful nan WSL. Taylor won nan FA Cup successful 2020 and League Cup successful 2022 pinch City and doubly vanished 2nd successful nan convention down Chelsea. He was sacked successful March aft almost 5 years successful charge, days earlier nan League Cup final, which they mislaid to Chelsea.
Ingle’s City switch: The Wales midfielder Sophie Ingle has joined nan WSL2 broadside Bristol City aft nan expiry of her Chelsea contract. Ingle, who secured her 142nd headdress for Wales astatine nan 2025 Euros, said: “After speaking to Charlotte [Healy, Bristol City’s manager] astir everything that nan nine offers some connected and disconnected nan pitch, it felt for illustration a bully fit. The nine wants to get promoted and I emotion winning.” Ingle won 11 trophies pinch Chelsea.
Lionesses successful nan hunt: Five Lionesses person been nominated for nan women’s Ballon d’Or aft their Euro 2025 triumph this summer. The skipper Leah Williamson, right-back Lucy Bronze, forwards Chloe Kelly and Alessia Russo and goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, who is besides nominated for champion goalkeeper, person been included successful nan 30-player shortlist. The England head Sarina Wiegman, treble-winning Chelsea head Sonia Bompastor and Arsenal’s Champions League-winning head Renée Slegers person been nominated for coach of nan year. England and Arsenal guardant Michelle Agyemang, who scored precocious Euros equalisers against Sweden and Italy has been nominated for nan Kopa trophy, which recognises players nether 21. Suzanne Wrack
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And support tabs connected all nan women’s transportation model deals from world’s apical six leagues.
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