Italy vs. England: The Azzurri in search of glory with joy and football

Italy celebrated their quarter-final victory over Norway as if they had won the 2025 European Championship. The 2-1 win last Wednesday triggered a party that lasted until night, with veteran forward Cristiana Girelli, possibly in her last tournament at 35 years old, scoring both goals and securing a place in their first semi-final since 1997.

With over 120 international matches and 60 goals in a 12-year career, Italy’s history needed a hero: the player who has fought the most for the sport and dedicated herself to her nation.

It’s only been three years since Italy allowed female soccer players to be full-time professionals, limiting them to amateur status since 1981, with a maximum of 30,000 euros annually. Despite this, the national team has participated in every edition of the European Championship, except in 1995 (a record of 11 times in total), showing remarkable progress in a short time.

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It’s a dream come true. Ever since we arrived in Switzerland, but also when we started the training camp, I felt something special. I saw in the eyes of my teammates something I can’t explain with words. We knew it was difficult to reach the semi-final, but we all knew we could do it.

Cristiana Girelli

After Girelli’s winning goal, the Italian players gathered around her, with the substitutes running towards their captain. An unusual image was that of coach Andrea Soncin running from the bench to join the celebration.

This action demonstrates Soncin’s integration with his team, a vital connection since he took office in September 2023. The team spirit that Italy has shown in Switzerland is notable.

We are a group of grounded girls united by a shared dream. We feed off each other’s energy. Even when there is tension, we know how to overcome it with a smile and a light heart.

Michela Cambiaghi

Italy seems like a team that enjoys every moment, absorbing the atmosphere, the celebration, and the joy. After the group stage, after losing 3-1 against Spain, they needed Portugal to lose against Belgium to advance. After the final whistle, the players gathered around defender Elisabetta Oliviero to follow the other result and, once confirmed, celebrated with a Bluetooth horn that played “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield. After the quarter-final match, goalkeeper Laura Giuliani sang a version of the song in the mixed zone, with the rest of the team singing in the background. On the bus, the music changed to “Freed from Desire”, with the players adapting the lyrics to “Girelli’s on Fire” to honor their captain. That horn has been the center of Italian celebrations since their 3-0 victory over Denmark in the Nations League in April. Midfielder Arianna Caruso proposed the idea and Soncin kept his promise, showing up at the next camp with it.

Now you have your music. You know how to dance. I don’t ask for results, that doesn’t define us. I only ask you to believe in the dream we share. Take care of it, every day.

Andrea Soncin

Soncin, a former forward in various Italian leagues, took over in 2023 to replace Milena Bertolini, with the aim of rebuilding the team after the disappointing results in the 2022 European Championship and the following year’s World Cup. A newcomer to women’s football, having only coached in men’s football with Venezia, he strived to understand his players, and their recent resurgence under his leadership reflects this.

The training has been intense, with exhausting gym sessions, countless hours dedicated to set plays, scenario analysis, and meticulous preparation for each opponent. Even the medical staff shows up in Armani suits and football boots when they go out to attend to the players on the field. What stands out most under Soncin’s leadership is the atmosphere he has created: based on joy, positivity, and a genuine love for the game. Italy’s success in Switzerland is a byproduct of a team that truly enjoys itself. The sense of unity and the “enjoy every moment” mentality have been a defining characteristic of the team’s best campaign in recent memory. The Azzurre have approached this tournament with freedom and boldness, but they haven’t reached a European Championship semi-final since 1997 and only did so once before, in the inaugural competition of 1984. England, the current champion, is the big favorite. It will be the fifth time that both teams face each other in the European Championship and their most recent encounter, a friendly in Marbella in February 2024, ended with a resounding 5-1 victory for the Lionesses. However, after exceeding expectations in this campaign, Italy arrives at the match with nothing to lose and everything to give. Their preparation has been meticulous, even watching the quarter-final match between Spain and Switzerland live in case they had to face either of those teams in the final, and confidence is high. As their iconic celebration song says, “the rest is yet to be written.” Italy is perfectly positioned to write a new chapter in history when they face England in Geneva, and they will have fun trying.