The Italy Women’s World Cup 2023 squad is coming together now, with Le Azzurre looking to better 2019's quarter-final.
The Italians had a disappointing Euros last summer bombing out in the group stage with just a single goal – but hope is high for a good showing this time around. A few of the core from 2017 are still in tow and Serie A is now fully professional, in a huge step forward for Italian women's football.
Talismanic forward Cristiana Girelli is now 33 and unlikely to make another tournament, Manuela Giugliano is a typically Italian deep-lying playmaker at the base of the three-woman midfield and Aurora Galli is a rarity in this side as a player based outside of Italy – she became the first Italian in the WSL when she joined Everton.
The Italy women's team have managed to make the last two World Cups – something the men haven't managed – as the two sides shift into very different eras. It was the women's side who failed to make four in a row between 2003 and 2015 and with the spotlight back on them, there is hope of younger players like Arianna Caruso and Angelica Soffia taking the mantel and establishing themselves as the next generation.
And while their group is headlined by a powerful Sweden side, second place is up for grabs: the runner-up will likely face the United States. It's a tricky run but one that this group will no doubt relish, with plenty of regrets from a dismal Euros showing in England.
Italy are in World Cup Group G with Argentina, Sweden and South Africa, their first World Cup fixture is against Argentina on July 24 and below is the last set of call-ups to their national team ahead of naming a World Cup squad between now and July.
Italy Women's World Cup 2023 squad
Italy Women's World Cup 2023 squad
- GK: Rachele Baldi (Fiorentina)
- GK: Francesca Durante (Inter Milan)
- GK: Laura Giuliani (AC Milan)
- DF: Elisa Bartoli (Roma)
- DF: Lisa Boattin (Juventus)
- DF: Lucia Di Guglielmo (Roma)
- DF: Martina Lenzini (Juventus)
- DF: Elena Linari (Roma)
- DF: Benedetta Orsi (Sassuolo)
- DF: Cecilia Salvai (Juventus)
- MF: Arianna Caruso (Juventus)
- MF: Valentina Cernoia (Juventus)
- MF: Giulia Dragoni (Barcelona B)
- MF: Manuela Giugliano (Roma)
- MF: Giada Greggi (Roma)
- MF: Emma Severini (Fiorentina)
- FW: Chiara Beccari (Como)
- FW: Barbara Bonansea (Juventus)
- FW: Sofia Cantore (Juventus)
- FW: Valentina Giacinti (Roma)
- FW: Cristiana Girelli (Juventus)
- FW: Benedetta Glionna (Roma)
- FW: Annamaria Serturini (Roma)
Italy manager
Who is Italy's manager?
Well thought of in Italian football, Milena Bertolini demands respect: and even cheesed off Roma fans when she hit out at sulky forward Nicolo Zaniolo's outburst towards a referee, telling him to "educate himself". Typically Sacchi-like in philosophy, Italy play high defensively with plenty of movement between the forwards, as Bertolini has been credited with restoring a confidence and verve to a nation who went two decades in the World Cup wilderness before her arrival.
When will the Italy squad be announced?
With the season now over in Italy, the Italian squad will now be assembled between now and July, when the tournament kicks off Down Under.
How many players are Netherlands allowed to take to the World Cup 2023?
The Italy Women’s World Cup squad will be made up of 23 players. Despite requests from some countries to extend the squad sizes, as was done with Men’s World Cup in Qatar, they will be limited to a smaller squad of just 23.
