Those who are Cristiana Girelli who brought Italy to the semifinals at the European Championships

The eyes full of tears and the voice broken by emotion: it is thus in the Post Norway press conference – Italy Cristiana Girellione of those who made the Geneva stadium raised to the 90th and then took a deserved one standing ovation When Mister Soncin recalled it on the bench, perhaps more to embrace her strong than to really replace it from the field. A standing ovation from goosebumps, a standing ovation that perhaps especially to Juventus fans, more than Italians, reported with the memory to that November 5, 2008, when Bernabeu began to the brace of Alessandro Del Piero. Here, since last night Cristiana Girelli can say that he has another thing in common with his little girl idol.

Born in Gavardo, in the province of Bresciaon April 23, 1990, Girelli made his debut in Rigamonti Nuvolara, team of his city, then wearing the shirts of Bardolino Verona (2005–2013) with which he collected 66 appearances and 60 goals, with successes on the Scudetto, Italian Cup and Super Cup. From Verona to Brescia, his Brescia (2013–2018), 98 goals in 115 games and the definitive explosion: two badges, two Italian cups, four Super Cups, up to Juventus (from 2018), of which he became a leader with over 100 goals in about 135 appearances. Here he won everything: three badges, eight Italian cups, ten super cups. In 2024-25 he also won the title of top scorer for the third time, after 2019-20 (16 goals) and 2020-21 (22), this season he touched 19 in Serie A.

Awarded as a footballer of the year AIC in 2020 and 2021, he was included in the Italian football hall of Fame in 2022.

An atypical attacker, perhaps a false nuevean attacker with a deadly right, of a superfine technique, but also of great football intelligence: it is able to vary on the offensive front, to move between the lines to create spaces. Double the “house specialty”: the heel coup, a whim that often grants itself, and the header, even more since last night.

With the Italian national team, he made his debut in 2013, exceeds 50 goals, these are 60 and 61, he is decisive at the 2019 World Cup with the hat -trick at Jamaica and in the match with Argentina in the world’s nefarious 2023, where Italy made well below expectations. But Bartolini management does not benefit from his talent: there is a conflicting relationship that often sees swivels on the edge of his choices.

She does not get too far, works and returns to the protagonist in the Soncin era, who inherited the blue in September 2023.

Beyond the field there is a Christian who loves to cook (the chef is nicknamed) and with an excellent sense of humor “I thank my sister Nicole and your timing since she was not at the stadium because she booked her holidays this week here” He says laughing in the post Norway – Italy but demonstrating, once again, the profound bond with his family, in love with his lost granddaughter, in love.

Last season was a fixed presence at Amazon Prime to comment on the Champions League, he also participated in Sanremo 2023 by presenting one of his favorite singers, Gio Evan, but defining himself particularly out of tune “if I sing Italian music dies”. He practices Pilates regularly, loves to read above all Mazzantini and Gramellini, and he has carved out an ad hoc exultation: the left hand in the shape of C around the eye, and the other hand with a finger that rotates free by recalling his surname.

From the shelves of the family pharmacy, strictly used as doors, to the whole of Europe: Cristiana Girelli wants to write other pages of history of this sport already starting from the semifinal next Tuesday not so much, not only, with her goals, but also and above all with the love for this sport, that love that dragged it to here, the guiding thread of an infinite career.