GENEVA — Italy celebrated their quarterfinal win over Norway like they had won Euro 2025 itself. The late 2-1 win last Wednesday saw the fans and team party into the night as veteran striker Cristiana Girelli — likely at her last tournament at age 35 — netted both goals to see them through to their first semifinal since 1997.
It just had to be her. With over 120 caps and 60 goals spanning a 12-year international career, there was only one story that would be fitting for Italy’s history books: the player who had fought the hardest for the sport and dedicated so much to her nation was the match hero.
Italy only allowed female footballers to become fully professional three years ago, having confined them to amateur status — making only a maximum of €30,000 per year — since 1981. But the national team have featured in every Euros edition bar the 1995 tournament (a joint-record 11 times in total), and have progressed so much in a short space of time.
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“It’s a dream that becomes reality,” Girelli said after the quarterfinal. “Since we arrived in Switzerland, but also when we started the camp, I felt something special. I saw in the eyes of my teammates something I can’t explain in words. We knew it was difficult to reach the semifinal but we all knew we could do it.”
As Italy’s players huddled around Girelli after her winning goal, with substitutes rushing towards their adoring captain, a strange sight was also to be seen: manager Andrea Soncin running down the touchline from the dugout to join in.
It was a mark of a boss who is fully integrated with his squad and, since his tenure began in September 2023, that connection has been vital to getting the team to where they are now. But what is even more remarkable are the vibes and team spirit that Italy have brought to Switzerland.
“We’re a group of down-to-earth girls brought together by a shared dream,” forward Michela Cambiaghi said this week. “We feed off each other’s energy. Even when there’s tension, we know how to shake it off with a smile and a light heart.”
Italy appear a team ready to enjoy every moment, soaking up every inch of atmosphere, celebration and joy like a sponge. It was visible after the end of the group stage when they had lost 3-1 to Spain in their final game and needed Portugal to lose to Belgium to get through. After the final whistle, players huddled around defender Elisabetta Oliviero to tune in to the other result and, once confirmed, they jumped into celebration; starters, substitutes, and staff alike all crowding round a Bluetooth speaker blasting out Natasha Bedingfield’s song “Unwritten.”
After the quarterfinal, goalkeeper Laura Giuliani sang a rendition of the song in the mixed zone, with the faint sounds of the rest of the team singing along in the background. Once back on the team bus, the music changed to “Freed from Desire,” with players changing the lyrics to “Girelli’s on Fire” to honor their matchwinner and captain.
That speaker has been at the heart of all Italy’s celebrations since their 3-0 win over Denmark in the Nations League in April. Midfielder Arianna Caruso first raised the notion of getting one and Soncin honored his promise, showing up to the following camp with it in tow.
“Now you’ve got your music,” he said at the time. “You know how to dance. I’m not asking you for results, those don’t define us. I’m just asking you to believe in the dream we share. Nurture it, every single day.”
Soncin, a former striker for a host of lower-league teams across the Italian pyramid, stepped into the role to take over from Milena Bertolini in 2023, eager to rebuild the squad after disappointing runs at Euro 2022 and the following year’s World Cup. A newcomer to the women’s game, having only coached in men’s football with Venezia previously, he made a real effort to understand his players and their recent rebirth under his leadership has reflected that.
Training has been intense; grueling gym sessions, countless hours spent on set plays, analyzing scenarios, and preparing meticulously for each opponent. Even the medical staff are suited and booted (literally) in Armani suits and football boots when they come out to treat players on the pitch. But what stands out most under Soncin’s leadership is the atmosphere he has cultivated: one rooted in joy, positivity, and a genuine love for the game.
Italy’s success in Switzerland has become a joyful by-product of a team that are truly enjoying themselves. The sense of togetherness and “enjoy every moment” mindset has been a defining feature of the team’s best campaign in recent memory. The Azzurre have approached this tournament with freedom and fearlessness, but they haven’t reached a Euro semifinal since 1997 and have done so only once before that, during the inaugural 1984 competition.
Clearly, defending champions England are massive favorites. It’s the fifth time the teams have faced each other at the Euros and their most recent meeting, a friendly in Marbella in February 2024, ended in a thumping 5-1 victory for the Lionesses.
But after exceeding expectations in this campaign, Italy come into the match with nothing to lose and everything to give. Their preparation has been meticulous — even extending to watching the Spain vs. Switzerland quarterfinal live in case they came to face either of those sides in the final — and confidence is high.
As their iconic celebration song goes, “the rest is still unwritten.” Italy are perfectly poised to write a new chapter of history when they face England in Geneva, and they’ll have fun trying to do it.
