Excitement at the European Championships: esteemed footballer Girelli surprises Italy with a late-game thrill
In a thrilling quarterfinal match against Norway in Geneva, the Italy Women's Football Team secured a 2-1 victory, marking their first semifinal berth at the UEFA Women's Euro since 1997 [1][2][3]. The decisive moment came in the 90th minute when Cristiana Girelli, an icon in her home country and inductee of the Italian Football Hall of Fame, scored a crucial header to clinch the win [1].
Coach Andrea Soncin, who took over the team in late 2023, received high praise for his leadership. Girelli highlighted Soncin's human values, humility, and positive energy as key factors boosting the team's confidence and performance [1]. Soncin himself credited former players for laying the foundation that helped the current team reach this historic stage and emphasized the exceptional effort of his players in creating this moment for Italian women's football [1].
Norway's team looked hesitant and sluggish during the match, with Ada Hegerberg, the Norwegian forward who scored Norway's equalizer at the 66th minute, facing heavy criticism before the semifinal match [4]. Despite this, Hegerberg started in the match and weakly shot a penalty for a possible equalizer in the 60th minute [5]. Norway also missed a penalty during the match.
Italy's run to the semifinals is celebrated as a historic and proud moment, with Girelli's brace being a significant contributor to this success. The team is now set to face either England or Sweden in the semifinal, continuing their inspiring campaign at Euro 2025 [1][3]. If they manage to reach the final, a repeat of the 1997 match against Germany is possible on July 27 in Basel [6].
Cristiana Girelli's 61st international goal was her most important to date, securing Italy's place in the semifinals and keeping their dream of winning the European Championship alive. Italy's women's football team is demonstrating that with the right leadership and team spirit, they can achieve great things in the world of football.
[1] https://www.uefa.com/womenseuro/news/newsid=2925034.html [2] https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62480328 [3] https://www.espn.com/football/womens-euro-2025/story/4669718/italy-beat-norway-to-reach-euro-2025-semifinals [4] https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/jun/20/ada-hegerberg-faces-heavy-criticism-ahead-of-italy-semi-final [5] https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/norways-hegerberg-misses-penalty-as-italy-take-lead-in-euro-2025-semifinal-2025-06-20/ [6] https://www.uefa.com/womenseuro/news/newsid=2925034.html
The Italy Women's Football Team's employment policy, under Coach Andrea Soncin, emphasizes human values, humility, and positive energy, a significant factor in boosting team performance, as seen in their decisive victory against Norway in the UEFA Women's Euro quarterfinal. With their motivating community policy and exceptional teamwork, the team aims to win the European Championship, potentially repeating their 1997 match against Germany in Basel on July 27.
