Cristiana Girelli has accomplished just about everything you can as a women’s footballer in Italy. She has led the league in goals, she has won titles upon titles upon titles, with her trophy case at Brescia and then Juventus about as plentiful as one could potentially get over the last decade and a half.
But Girelli, Juve’s No. 10 and all-time leading scorer is heading for a new experience.
For the first time in her career, Girelli is going to be playing ball outside of Italy. You can extend that
to outside of Europe, too. Just like former teammates Sofia Cantore and Lisa Boattin did a summer ago, Girelli is heading for the United States, joining Bay FC on loan until August, Juventus Women announced on Friday night. To make that happen, Girelli extended her contract with Juventus Women until 2027 — which means this isn’t fully goodbye just yet, but just more of a case of “See you soon!”
Just as long as she doesn’t completely fall in love with the Bay Area and everything it has to offer. Same goes for playing on a stage like the NWSL is being one of the best and most competitive leagues in the world of women’s football.
Having a playing experience outside of Italy is something that Girelli said she would like to see happen before her incredibly accomplished career comes to an end. And at 35 years old, she knows that those kinds of chances are only going to be possible for so much longer — which is why leaving a club (albeit likely just for a few months) that she has been at for nearly a decade is a decision she had to make.
It is something that clearly influenced the timing of this and for Girelli to jump at the chance to head to the NWSL and sign — albeit on a loan deal that will only be for about five or sixth months — with Bay FC, one of the league’s newest clubs.
It will be quite strange to see Girelli in another club’s jersey after so much time in the famous black and white stripes. She’s achieved so much in Turin between the multiple league titles and all the freakin’ goals that she’s scored. She’s the club’s all-time leader in goals scored. She’s the club’s all-time leader in appearances. She’s one of the best Italian players of this generation and a leading force in helping Juve and the Azzurre get to where they’ve gotten over the last decade.
As part of her farewell (for now), Girelli penned a letter to Juve supporters. It reads in full below:
Ciao, Bianconeri fans…
I wanted to speak to you directly because I felt the need to share my thoughts with you.
It was not an easy decision to make, quite the contrary…
However, in football, we all know that time is limited.
An athlete’s career does not last forever and, at this point in my career, I know that certain opportunities may only come once.
This important opportunity suddenly presented itself to me, and I felt the need to test myself again, to have a different experience, before it was too late to do so.
I understand that some people may not agree with the timing, but global football has different schedules and certain opportunities come when they come: either you take them at that moment, or you risk never experiencing them again.
And that was the hardest part for me to accept.
It was a gut decision rather than a heartfelt one, because my heart only has two colours.
That’s why I don’t feel like this is goodbye.
You all know how much I love this team, you and this shirt, ever since I was a child, which I have loved every single day for the past eight years and will continue to love even from the other side of the world.
This club is my home, my family, the love of my life.
And this experience takes nothing away from what Juventus means to me and the place it has and always will have in my heart.
I know that not everyone will understand this decision, and I respect that, but I hope you will continue to support this team as you always have.
I am certain that TOGETHER we can continue to fight until the end to achieve all of our goals for the season.
Thank you all, see you soon.
Forza Juve, Fino alla fine.
ALWAYS.
Girelli’s new squad, Bay FC, opens the 2026 NWSL season on March 14 against expansion club Denver Summit FC. If she is to play in that game like many expect her to in some shape or form, she will be looking to score on former Juve teammate Pauline Peyraud-Magnin, who left Juve at the end of January and signed with Denver Summit FC a couple of weeks later.
