A surprise gold medal candidate? Meet Italy’s most promising U20 players

Italy arrived in Poland with plenty of talent but without the status of one of the tournament’s traditional heavyweights. The Azzurrine had never progressed beyond the group stage at the U20 Women’s World Cup, but this generation needed just two matches to rewrite that history. 

They opened their campaign with an impressive 2:1 comeback victory over three-time champions USA before securing their place in the knockout stage with a 3:0 win against New Zealand. A 1:1 draw with Japan then completed an unbeaten group stage and, more importantly, secured first place in Group D with seven points.

The results have only confirmed what has been increasingly apparent at youth level in recent years. Italy currently possesses a generation capable of competing with some of the strongest nations in women’s football, with several players already gaining valuable experience at senior club level despite their young age. The following selection therefore does not reflect performances in Poland alone. Instead, it takes into account the players’ long-term development, their performances at club and international level, and their potential for the future. Here are five Italian talents whose names could become increasingly familiar in the years to come.

Giulia Galli

The native of Rome is regarded as one of the greatest talents in women’s football worldwide. 

As a product of the AS Rome academy, she made her first-team debut in May 2024 in a match against Sassuolo at the age of 16, becoming the youngest debutant in Serie A in the history of this Italian giant. Despite her breathtaking performances for the youth national teams, however, the young player was unable to secure a regular place in the starting eleven amidst fierce competition, so it came as no surprise to anyone that she decided a few days ago to join the club that has shown a consistent, long-term interest in her – Barcelona.

Giulia has all the prerequisites to become a world-class star within a few years. She possesses outstanding technical skills, thanks primarily to her background in athletics, and also excels in terms of speed. She displays tremendous energy on the field, and her height (177 cm) makes her a natural at scoring headers.

Azzurra Gallo

Having joined the Juventus academy in 2016, Gallo has gradually developed into one of Italy’s most promising young defenders. She signed her first professional contract in September 2024 and made her Serie A debut later that year. At youth level, she played a key role in an extraordinary 2024–25 campaign, captaining Juventus U19 to an unprecedented treble. In search of regular senior football, she spent the following season on loan at Anderlecht, before Juventus extended her contract until June 2028 and sent her on another loan this summer, this time to French side Toulouse. 

Gallo is particularly strong in one on one defending, while she also excels at organising the back line and playing out from the back. Another important aspect of her game is her ability to contribute to her team’s counterattacking threat. Her performances at the 2025 U19 European Championship, where she captained Italy to the semifinals, earned her a place in UEFA’s Team of the Tournament as the only Italian player selected. This season will be crucial for the twenty-year-old player. If she manages to establish herself in the starting line-up in France and is given the chance to continue developing, Gallo has all the potential to establish herself at Juventus and become an important part of Italy’s senior national team.

Maya Cherubini

This Iniesta fan has chosen a rather unusual football path. She started out playing in a boys’ team, but after a while she opted to develop her skills at the AS Roma academy. She spent several years with the Giallorossi before deciding, in the summer of 2024, to take a life-changing and somewhat unconventional step and accept an offer from Fiorentina. After joining Viola, the talented midfielder spent a year with the youth team, but before the recently concluded season, she became a permanent member of the first team. She made her league debut on October 4, 2025, in a match against Napoli, and since then, with a few exceptions, she has been a regular in the starting lineup.

Maya, who is partly of Spanish descent on her grandmother’s side, is very often compared to Iniesta, one of the greatest Spanish footballers of all time. On the field, she acts as a technical leader who isn’t afraid to instruct her teammates, thanks to her exceptionally well-developed tactical thinking: “It’s always been part of my playing style to be the anchor in midfield and to give instructions. That’s my personality, my way of doing things, which is reflected on the field,” explained the player herself to Calcio Femminile Italiano. Her contract with Fiorentina runs through June 2027.

Emma Lombardi

One of Italy’s greatest defensive prospects was born in the province of Pisa, where she first set foot on a football pitch, which she chose over artistic gymnastics. She initially started out, as is often the case, on a boys’ team, but then moved to the Livorno girls’ team, followed by Empoli, and eventually made her way to Fiorentina. Thanks to her outstanding performances on the under-19 team, she was promoted to the first team for the 2025–26 season, just like Maya Cherubini.

She entered her first league match on the same day as Maya and since then she has appeared in the starting lineup many times. The skilled defensive player has signed a contract with the Tuscan club valid until June 2028. The opportunity to play for Gigliate's first team was a turning point in Emma's career: “Once I found out I’d be training with the first team, I realized that my approach to football had to evolve: I decided to invest all my focus and energy into it,” she stated in an interview with FIGC.

Caterina Venturelli

Born in Pavullo nel Frignano, Venturelli started playing football at the age of five as the only girl on a boys’ team at Serramazzoni. After initially trying artistic gymnastics, she quickly realised that football was where she belonged and joined Sassuolo in 2018. She progressed through the club’s youth system and captained Sassuolo’s Primavera side before making her Serie A debut against Lazio in December 2025 at just 17 years old. By the end of her first senior season, she had earned a place in the Serie A Women Top XI Under 23.

Venturelli is particularly strong in one on one situations and excels at winning possession, while her anticipation is another important part of her defensive game. She is also capable of contributing offensively, recognising when to pass and when to move forward to support the attack. These qualities earned her a place in UEFA’s Team of the Tournament at the 2025 U17 European Championship. Still only 17, Venturelli has already made the transition to senior football and, if her development continues at the same pace, she could become one of Italy’s leading defenders in the near future.