By Hritika Sharma
(Reuters) – Italy will head to the Women’s World Cup with a point to prove after a hugely disappointing campaign at last year’s European Championship but repeating their remarkable run to the 2019 quarter-finals appears to be a tall order.
Coach Melina Bertolini, who took over in 2017, led Italy to their first World Cup appearance in 20 years and oversaw their joint-best performance at the finals, matching their feat from the inaugural event in 1991.
There was hope that Italy would rekindle their 1990s heyday, when they were also runners-up at the 1993 and 1997 Euros, but their progress was abruptly halted at Euro 2022 when they finished bottom of their group with one point.
With Bertolini remaining in charge and some of the core players still in tow, Italy will travel to their second successive World Cup for the first time with the need to bounce back and with the target of another deep run.
Italy start against Argentina before taking on third-ranked Sweden and African champions South Africa in Group G.
“We were really down and disappointed about how things worked out in England. We wanted to show that wasn’t who we are,” Bertolini said in September after Italy qualified for the World Cup by topping their group.
“We wanted to show what had taken us this far in the first place, what had taken us to the World Cup in 2019 and to all the tournaments we’ve played in with such great results. We wanted to show what this team could really do.”
Italy also hope to reap the benefits of the top-flight Serie A turning fully professional in 2022, the plans having been put in motion after they surpassed all expectations in France.
Of the 23 players called up for the Arnold Clark Cup in February, only Everton midfielder Aurora Galli was based outside Italy. They are also in a transitional phase, with Arianna Caruso among the best prospects to lead the next generation.
Veteran striker Cristiana Girelli looks set to lead the line again and is versatile enough to be the focal point of Bertolini’s preferred 4-3-3 or to tee up with fellow Juventus forward Barbara Bonansea.
Roma’s Valentina Giacinti is another prolific scorer but 23-year-old Sofia Cantore will also be looking to make her mark. Manuela Giugliano is often the lynchpin in midfield, joined by Caruso and Valentina Cernoia.
Veteran captain Sara Gama was surprisingly omitted from the squad, however, with Bertolini citing “technical-tactical and physical reasons” for her decision.
“I hope we’ll all be just as bold as we were in 2019,” Girelli said. I hope we can play a little more freely, aware of our strengths, while we enjoy the moment. We want to play without too much pressure, without too many expectations.”
(Reporting by Hritika Sharma in Hyderabad; Editing by Ken Ferris)
