Like the Flames, the Italians have changed “chef (FE)” since the last euro. But unlike the Belgians, the Italians went from a coach to a coach, when Andrea Soncin (46) was chosen to succeed Milena Bertolini. It was in September 2023, after a World Cup missed by Squadra (elimination in the first round, again).
The choice of this former player seemed astonishing on the part of the Italian Federation, passed from a real legend (Bertolini won the title several times in Italy as a player and coach and had also led the national team in the quarter -final of the World Cup in France in 2019) to a coach … Totally novice. Soncin has never resulted in the highest level, even in a club, and had never worked with a female team either.
His coach CV only indicates brief passages as an interim in Venice (among the gentlemen, sailing between series A and the Italian series B). Rather, the Lombard worked with the youth teams, until the female Nazional is taken over. The team seemed to need a new start, the relations between the previous selector having gradually degraded. Transalpine observers even cite the word “toxic” to discuss the situation of the last months between the coach and her players.
With Soncin, a new vision has landed. Former striker (notably passed through Atalanta), the technician had not “programmed” his passage in the world of footballers, but he quickly got to know him and, above all, to appreciate him. Questioned by UEFA on the sidelines of this Euro, Soncin salutes the authentic relationships he was able to discover and especially the determination and the incredible will of his players. Today, he doesn’t want to hear about women’s football but football, just. Without comparing men and women.
His beginnings with the selection were promising (Italy notably managed to beat Spain in the League of Nations and also qualified directly for this Euro by finishing at the top of his group), but he will face the first major tournament of his career. Another common point with Elisabet Gunnarsdottirthe Red Flames selector …
