Italy Gears Up for Women’s Euro 2025 Semi-Final Against England

Cristiana Girelli, enjoying a stellar tournament at 35, is poised to spearhead Italy’s attack in their Women’s Euro 2025 semi-final clash with England. The match is scheduled for Tuesday.

Girelli’s pair of goals, including a dramatic late winner, propelled Italy past Norway, securing their place in the Euro semi-finals for the first time since 1997. The Lionesses await them in Geneva on Tuesday.

The seasoned veteran, with 122 international appearances and 61 goals, believes Italy’s showings in Switzerland demonstrate their ability to contend with top-tier teams.

Girelli mentioned that this would be her final Euros but remains undecided about participating in the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.

The veteran expressed her delight in Italy’s progression to the semi-finals.

“The goals were crucial in securing the win, but I prefer to emphasize the collective effort. We all delivered a strong performance,” Girelli stated.

“We aimed to not only win but also showcase our capabilities developed over the past two and a half years. I’m happy that, beyond the result, we put in a solid performance against a very strong team.”

Italy advanced from Group B, trailing only world champions Spain. Girelli is confident in her team’s ability to challenge England.

“We deeply respect them as reigning champions with game-changing players,” Girelli noted. “But we’ve come this far and intend to continue believing. We aspire to advance further; we must maintain our conviction.”

Italy gained prominence at the 2019 World Cup, reaching the quarter-finals under the leadership of Sara Gama. However, subsequent group stage exits at the Euros and World Cup led to Andrea Soncin’s appointment as coach in August 2023, resulting in noticeable progress.

“We are confident in our ability to achieve a positive result against any opponent,” Girelli affirmed.

“Soncin encourages us to play with courage and utilize our inherent quality. The recent results and performances reflect this approach.”

While women’s football development in Italy lags behind countries such as England, Spain, Germany, and France, Girelli hopes their performance this summer will spark renewed interest.

Women’s Serie A turned professional in 2022, but no Italian team has advanced beyond the Champions League quarter-finals. During the 2023/24 season, clubs in Italy’s top division averaged over a million euros in turnover, a 48 percent increase from the previous campaign. Television viewership has also increased.

“We fell behind after the 2019 World Cup due to inconsistent results,” Girelli explained. “I hope these results will enable us to build further because the atmosphere in Switzerland is inspiring. The packed stadiums and passionate fans make me believe that we can replicate this success. I hope this is the beginning of something positive for Italian football.”