Just a few hours before departing for the United States, where the Azzurre will face Team USA in a double friendly, head coach Andrea Soncin was among the speakers at the ‘Sport Industry Talk,’ an event held in Milan and organised by RCS Academy. FIGC president, Gabriele Gravina, was also in attendance at the event. The panel, moderated by journalist Gaia Piccardi, tackled several topics, from wider issues related to the growth of the women’s game (‘Through education and communication we can challenge stereotypes’) to his decision to deconstruct masculine biases in language.

 

Coach Soncin explained, “I had a choice to make. I realised I needed to be more mindful in representing my 30 players, and not the other way around. That’s why I speak using the feminine form. When I arrived, the team needed to find itself again after a difficult period. It was down to me to represent them better; I would have felt uncomfortable not speaking up for them.” It’s been a journey that featured an incredible European Championship and will continue now in the United States.

 

“The team needs to grow in self-awareness. That one minute (referring to the semifinal lost to England) has taught us a lot. A football match is a challenge not only against an opponent, but against ourselves. I want to encourage the players’ resilience and freedom. On the pitch, they’re the stars, and they need to learn how to manage every phase of the match in the best way possible.”

 

The invitation from the U.S. Federation is, for Soncin, ‘a source of great pride. Our performances have put the spotlight on our team and our players: it will be an opportunity for growth for all of us and a chance to see other players in action.’