At 35 years old, you have plenty of people thinking that going into a major tournament like UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 it will be your last. For Juventus Women and Italy striker Cristiana Girelli, that could very well be the case. She will be in her late-30s by the time the next Women’s World Cup rolls around in 2027, and you never know how your body and overall form will be at that point in your life.
But here’s the thing about Girelli: No matter what the age on her birth certificate says, she’s inevitable.
Yes, even at age 35, she’s simply inevitable. And just keeps on scoring, keeps on delivering game-changing moments in a uniform she is so proud to wear.
That was no more true than on Wednesday night in Geneva, Switzerland. With Italy tied 1-1 entering the final minute of regular time and extra football to determine a winner looking rather certain, Girelli did ... what she’s done and continues to do. That’s scoring a goal — and a massive one at that. On the receiving end of Sofia Cantore cross from the left wing that had one target and one target only, Girelli was all alone and left completely unmarked at the back post, ready and waiting to send a decisive header back across the face of goal. She did exactly that with aplomb, scoring her second goal of the night and securing a 2-1 win for Italy that sent the Azzurre into the semifinals of the European Championships for the first time since 1997.
You read that right. It’s been nearly 30 years since the Italy women last made it this far at the Euros. (The tournament was just eight teams back then compared to the 16-team format it is now.)
Girelli and Italy — which failed to reach the knockout rounds at the Women’s World Cup two years ago — will face the winner of Thursday’s quarterfinal between reigning champs England and Sweden.
Crunch time became Girelli time. She proved to be inevitable — again.
In scoring her second goal of the night, Girelli continued to show just how good of a striker she continues to be despite being an age when few players male or female remain such a crucial part of their national team’s success. But that’s just the thing with Girelli — even though she is the age she is, she’s still proving to be Italy’s best scoring threat.
Case in point ...
Italy has scored five goals in their four games at the Euros.
Girelli has three of them.
Juventus Women reporter Mauro Munno floated out this little statement after Italy’s win over Norway that got them into the EURO semifinals: It’s time to put Girelli in the conversation for the shortlist of the Women’s Ballon d’Or. To some, it may sound like a little bit of stretch considering there is so much world-class talent in the women’s game right now. But, as Munno points out, Girelli continues to do things that few players in Italy have done. Let alone somebody who is doing it for both club and country and at her age.
Girelli is coming off one of the best seasons of her career. Not just since she moved to Juventus Women, but on the whole. She led the league in scoring once again, leading a rejuvenated Bianconere squad to an unexpected domestic double under first-year manager Max Canzi. She scored the game-winning goal — and an absolute class finish at that to finish off a rapid-fire counterattack — in what gave Italy the lead in the 1-1 draw with Portugal.
Then she did what she did against Norway when her team needed her the most.
The game-winner on the brink of second-half stoppage time wasn’t the first time the Girelli-Cantore partnership combined for a goal against Norway. (Unfortunately, now that Cantore has signed with the Washington Spirit, it’s limited to national team duty and that’s it.) Girelli’s first goal of the night off a Cantore assist gave Italy the 1-0 lead 50 minutes in, one that lasted all of 15 minutes before Norway tied things up.
This is nothing new to those who know her game so well no matter if she’s wearing black and white stripes or Italy blue. (Or, in this case, a light shade of green.) Girelli has proven so many times before is that she’s far from a traditional No. 9 who is a poacher in front of goal. She wears the No. 10 because she grew up idolizing Alessandro Del Piero, but she can also go from scoring a goal like she did against Portugal from outside of the box to a striker who can make the perfect run at the back post and head the ball past the keeper when so much is on the line.
That’s what great strikers do. And the Euros are proving to be another example of Girelli being great and leading her team to heights they haven’t seen in a while, if ever.
Because of it, the Azzurre are going to be one of the final four teams standing in Switzerland and will have the chance to do even more. You better believe Girelli is going to be relishing that chance no matter what the future holds for her a couple of years from now.
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