Who are the 23 Italians called-up for the Women's World Cup?

Twenty years after the last World Cup, the American one in which the Italians were eliminated in the group stage despite the four points won (the draw with Germany and the win against Mexico), the women's national football team will once again compete in the highest competition in the world, after failing to qualify for the 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015 editions.

The fact of having obtained the pass for the event that will be staged in France from 7 June to 7 July is only one of the explanations of the exponential growth of the women's football movement in Italy in recent years. Not only thanks to the Serie A top clubs' involvement, having heavily invested in women's teams focusing on Italian girls: we are not just talking about Juventus, which has recently won the second consecutive championship and has even managed to fill the entire Allianz Stadium on the occasion of the game against Fiorentina, but also for AC Milan, Inter, AS Roma, Atalanta, Sassuolo and Fiorentina too.

The main part of the 23 girls who received the call-up from Milena Bertolini, the former defender that became the Italian manager from 2017, play mainly for the top Italian teams: 8 come from Juventus, 6 from AC Milan, 3 respectively from AS Roma and Fiorentina, while there is also a soccer player who plays abroad, in the Atletico Madrid women's team.

We met five of them a few weeks ago in Milan, on the occasion of 'Don't Change Your Dream. Change The World', the event organized by Nike which included the athletes who are revolutionizing the panorama of Italian women's football and during which we also had a chat with one of the most talented girls, Barbara Bonansea. 

The Azzurre's Captain is Sara Gama, the Italian athlete of Congolese mother who is also the Juventus Captain and who more than a year ago, on the occasion of International Women's Day, was included by Mattel among the 17 "Shero" models of Barbie inspired by female heroines of all kinds who would influence future generations of girls.

Instead, Cecilia Salvai, the Juventus soccer player who injured in the anterior cruciate ligament of her left knee and had to have surgery was forced to stay home for a while. 

The 23 Azzurre have been included in Group C along with Australia, Brazil and Jamaica and will play the three matches of the group between Valenciennes and Reims, making their debut against the Australians on June 9 and  will then challenge the Jamaicans on the 14th and the Brazilians on the 18th. All matches of the Italian national team will be broadcasted live on Sky Sport.

Here's the complete list of the called-up: 

Goalkeepers:

Laura Giuliani (Juventus)

Chiara Marchitelli (Florentia)

Rosalia Pipitone (AS Roma)

Defenders:

Elisa Bartoli (AS Roma)

Lisa Boattin (Juventus)

Laura Fusetti (AC Milan)

Sara Gama (Juventus)

Alia Guagni (Fiorentina)

Elena Linari (Atletico Madrid)

Linda Cimini Tucceri (AC Milan)

Midfielders:

Valentina Bergamaschi (AC Milan)

Barbara Bonansea (Juventus)

Valentina Cernoia (Juventus)

Aurora Galli (Juventus)

Manuela Giugliano (AC Milan)

Alice Parisi (Fiorentina)

Martina Rosucci (Juventus)

Annamaria Serturini (AS Roma)

Attackers:

Cristiana Girelli (Juventus)

Valentina Giacinti (AC Milan)

Ilaria Mauro (Fiorentina)

Daniela Sabatino (AC Milan)

Stefania Tarenzi (Chievo Verona)