Italy’s Icon Cristiana Girelli Takes Le Azzurre To Verge Of Euro 2025 History

The timepiece showed 89 minutes and 18 seconds. That was really adjacent a weary Italy were to other clip against Norway successful a tense quarter-final successful Geneva. It was clear from nan frayed nerves and unusually dishevelled quality of nan coaching unit connected Italy’s chair that they were concerned those connected nan section did not person overmuch near successful nan tank. All their stamina and emotions had been near connected nan transportation aft almost 90 energy-sapping minutes of a crippled they knew they should beryllium winning.

What they seemed to hide for a minute, however, was that they person Cristiana Girelli. Their talismanic centre-forward tin do galore things connected a shot transportation but thing is much definite than her scoring goals. They only needed 1 chance, 1 transportation and nan likelihood were connected that their skipper would return it. That infinitesimal came: a pinpoint Sofia Cantore cross, an intelligent tally by Girelli to suffer nan full-back and an angled header that had 1 destination.

It was a extremity emblematic of Girelli’s career, which has spanned nan champion portion of 2 decades, and sent Italy into a European Championship semi-final for nan first clip since 1997. With 122 caps and 61 goals crossed 12 years, Girelli has been astatine nan forefront of Le Azzurre’s past six awesome tourney appearances and is wide considered among her peers and fans arsenic 1 of nan champion to propulsion connected nan shirt.

Girelli has played her full profession successful Italy, bridging nan spread from amateur to full-time, pinch Serie A Femminile going afloat master only successful 2022. She has spent 7 seasons pinch Juventus and vanished nan past run arsenic nan league’s apical scorer pinch 19 goals that propelled Le Bianconere to their first title successful 3 years.

She is not a accepted No 9. Although her activity successful nan area, aerial expertise and instinctive finishing are 2nd to none, she is much than a punishment container poacher. She loves to driblet deeper and thief build from nan pocket, is potent from free-kicks and, arsenic shown successful nan Group C tie pinch Portugal, has nan expertise to people from distance. In nan quarter-final, she not only scored doubly but made six recoveries and led nan measurement for Italy successful position of duels won (eight), touches successful nan guidance container (seven) and shots connected target. It was a capacity that illustrated her capabilities astatine defending from nan beforehand arsenic overmuch arsenic her threat successful beforehand of goal.

Cristiana Girelli signals to nan Italian fans aft scoring against Norway. Photograph: Francesco Farina/SPP/Shutterstock

Girelli wears her bosom connected her sleeve. The emotion she feels representing her state and bringing them occurrence runs deep. This has ne'er been much evident than erstwhile nan last whistle blew connected Wednesday night. Having hardly had clip to remainder aft being substituted, she ran connected to nan section successful disbelief, hands to her head, earlier embracing Barbara Bonansea, a subordinate pinch whom she has spent truthful overmuch of her journey. The 2 centurions’ careers person been inextricably linked, their nationalist squad debuts coming six months isolated and Girelli moving to Juventus a twelvemonth aft Bonansea. The second deserves conscionable arsenic overmuch in installments for Italy’s development. The tears flowed and nan celebrations were euphoric. Girelli turned photographer temporarily for a image successful beforehand of Italy’s fans arsenic they started to realise what they had achieved.

“It’s a dream travel true,” Girelli said. “It’s really thing special. I felt thing different – thing typical – successful this team. I’ve seen a typical ray successful nan eyes of my teammates … It’s history for Italian women’s football. I’m truthful happy and proud for this team.”

Unfortunately, nan advancement of nan women’s crippled successful Italy has been slow, pinch little finance and accessibility than successful different apical European footballing nations. It has meant that Girelli has grounded to person owed praise, thing Italy’s manager, Andrea Soncin, alluded to connected Wednesday. “Throughout her career, she’s received little nickname than she genuinely deserves, some for her method expertise and her character,” he said.

Cristiana Girelli buries her last-minute header past Norway's goalkeeper Cecilie Fiskerstrand. Photograph: Salvatore Di Nolfi/EPA

In nan semi-finals await England, wherever location has been nary deficiency of support successful caller years. For Girelli, it could beryllium her past quality astatine a awesome world tournament. It is uncertain really agelong she tin proceed and she told AFP connected Saturday that this would beryllium her past Euros.

However, she and her teammates will beryllium wished this travel does not extremity conscionable yet. Italy are connected nan brink of thing monumental, 1 triumph from a crippled that could massively amended nan trajectory of nan athletics backmost home. Girelli’s bequest is written but her past publication to a federation she has served for truthful agelong could yet beryllium nan biggest of all.