How history-chasing Italy could threaten England at Euro 2025

If England overcome a strong Sweden side in their Euro 2025 quarter-final on Thursday, Italy will stand between them and a third consecutive major tournament final.

Sarina Wiegman’s side would be favourites to progress, but after Italy’s impressive performance against Norway in the last-eight it would be foolish to underestimate them.

Italy are 13th in the Fifa world rankings, eight places below England but have never dropped below 19th since Fifa started its women’s rankings in 2003.

The Lionesses and le Azzurre have met three times in the past decade – Wiegman’s side earned a 2-1 win in the Arnold Clark Cup in February 2023, before inflicting a 5-1 defeat in a friendly 12 months later. In 2017, the sides drew 1-1 in a friendly.

Italy progressed to the knockouts by finishing second in Group B behind world champions Spain.

Their campaign began with a 1-0 win against Belgium, before conceding an 89th minute equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Portugal.

A 3-1 defeat by Spain on matchday three mattered little because Portugal failed to beat Belgium.

Italy were the better side for much of their quarter-final against Norway, and spurned several chances before captain Cristiana Girelli broke the deadlock in the 50th minute.

Italy were one of four participants at the inaugural Women’s Euros finals in 1984, and have featured in every edition bar the 1995 tournament.

However, they have not reached the semi-finals since 1997, when they defeated Spain before losing to Germany in the final.

Their best performance at a World Cup came in 2019 in France, when Milena Bertolini’s side reached the quarter-finals after eliminating former runners-up China.

Though the top division of women’s football in Italy was established in 1968, it’s only in recent years that the game turned fully professional and started to grow exponentially.

After the Azzurre captured hearts by reaching the quarter-finals of the 2019 Women’s World Cup, the Italian Football Federation pledged to make Serie A Femminile professional by the start of the 2022-23 season.

However, such a landmark moment would not have been possible without the foundations laid by pioneers like Carolina Morace and Patrizia Panico.

Morace was one of the first superstars in the women’s game, overcoming sexism and institutional barriers to lead Italy at six European Championships and the inaugural Women’s World Cup in 1991.

As the first player to score a hat-trick at a Women’s World Cup, it’s perhaps no surprise she was Serie A’s top scorer for 11 consecutive seasons between 1987-88 and 1997-98.

Though Italy only scored three goals in the group stages, they have scored first in each of their four outings in Switzerland.

Andrea Soncin’s side controlled possession in the first half against Norway and transitioned from defence to attack with frightening speed.

England’s defence have already struggled with the pace of France’s forwards, and that has been an ongoing concern since the World Cup in 2023.

“Italy load the line. They do it really effectively and the Norwegians just couldn’t deal with how they stretch the game,” former England defender Anita Asante said on BBC One.

Italy like to make the pitch as wide as possible. Against Norway their wide players hugged the touchline, meaning makeshift left-back Guro Reiten was unable to contribute to attacks. They could look to pin back England full-backs Lucy Bronze and Alex Greenwood in a similar way.

“Italy showed the fight, they showed the hunger and they showed the belief. They’re also reflecting the growth of Italian women’s football,” said Asante.

Former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha picked up on Italy’s post-match celebrations.

“Italy were celebrating as if they’ve almost won it themselves, but that’s a reminder that there are so many different perceptions as you enter the tournament and that’s important because they’ll be proud of that as a team and nation.

“Why can they not believe they can win one more game and play for the whole trophy?”

That said, Italy appeared to flag during the second half, and were fortunate Norway did not capitalise. England could exploit that from the bench, with Beth Mead and Aggie Beever-Jones both scoring after coming on against Wales.

“I just think we’re starting to see that lethargic side from Italy, as you would expect in the fourth game of this tournament,” former Scotland captain Rachel Corsie said on BBC Radio 5 Live.

There’s no looking past captain and linchpin Girelli, who produced two great finishes against Norway.

The first was a deft touch to guide a fizzing low cross into the far corner, the second a well-placed header that glanced in off the underside of the crossbar.

At 35 she is approaching the end of her career but her three goals in the tournament suggest she has more to offer.

“That’s why she has the reputation that she does,” said Corsie. “She’s been in the game a long time. She knows where the back of the net is.”

Club-mate Sofia Cantore – 10 years her junior – has been another stand-out performer, providing both assists on Wednesday.