A 'veteran' and young face, the oldest and the youngest players taking part in this camp: Barbara Bonansea and Giulia Dragoni are both part of the Italy squad currently preparing for one big last challenge in 2024, a year that saw the team qualify for the Euros. Both are exceptional talents – one a symbol of the World Cup team who captured the hearts of millions across Italy in 2019, the other a newly turned 18-year-old and the youngest player to play for the Azzurre at a World Cup (she took to the pitch against Argentina in 2023 aged 16 years and 259 days).

“I’m still not an indispensable player for this National Team...” Giulia Dragoni seemed shy for a moment when asked how she is experiencing all of this at her young age. “For me, it’s a source of pride to be here and in a position to inspire many young girls,” she said in an interview with VivoAzzurro TV. “In the end, it shows that age is just a number and, even when you’re young, you can achieve prestigious goals. Yes, sometimes I think about the record I set at the 2023 World Cup, but I focus on the present and especially on the future.”

And in the immediate future, there’s the friendly against Germany in Bochum on Monday 2 December. It’ll be a clash against a strong side to finish 2024 as next summer’s Euros draw nearer: “Germany will be tough opponents,” said Barbara Bonansea. “However, so far, when we’ve faced teams that are perhaps stronger than us on paper, we’ve always done well. Of course, it’ll be a difficult match, but if we want to try and achieve something big at the Euros, we have to face the strongest teams. We’re preparing in the best way possible. Giulia Dragoni has the same mindset: “We have what it takes to do well, and we've proven that we can be competitive against great sides.”

Soncin’s girls will hold two sessions today, one in the morning and another in the afternoon, on day two of their camp at Coverciano.

SQUAD LIST

Goalkeepers: Matilde Copetti (Parma), Francesca Durante (Fiorentina), Laura Giuliani (Milan), Margot Shore (Bologna);
Defenders: Valentina Bergamaschi (Juventus), Lisa Boattin (Juventus), Federica D’Auria (Lazio), Lucia Di Guglielmo (Roma), Maria Luisa Filangeri (Fiorentina), Martina Lenzini (Juventus), Elena Linari (Roma), Elisabetta Oliviero (Lazio), Julie Piga (Milan), Angelica Soffia (Milan);
Midfielders: Arianna Caruso (Juventus), Giulia Dragoni (Roma), Manuela Giugliano (Roma), Eleonora Goldoni (Lazio), Giada Greggi (Roma), Nadine Nischler (Como), Eva Schatzer (Juventus), Emma Severini (Fiorentina);
Forwards: Chiara Beccari (Juventus), Barbara Bonansea (Juventus), Agnese Bonfantini (Fiorentina), Michela Cambiaghi (Inter), Sofia Cantore (Juventus), Valentina Giacinti (Roma), Benedetta Glionna (Roma).