Francesca De Bona

Francesca began playing football at the age of nine as a striker. After just one season, she decided that she belonged at the opposite end of the pitch and became a goalkeeper.

She spent around five years as the only girl in a boys’ team at Castion. Francesca believes the demanding training sessions gave her the determination, competitive spirit and refusal to give up that later shaped her as a goalkeeper.

Away from football, Francesca studied graphic design at an art high school and particularly enjoyed working with computers and graphic-design software.

Joining Sassuolo at only 16 meant leaving home and changing schools. Surprisingly, the move also reduced her travelling time, as she had previously faced long journeys between school and training with Cittadella.

While still a teenage goalkeeper at Cittadella, Francesca appeared alongside professional goalkeeper Alberto Paleari in an episode of the training series Wannabe a Pro, completing specialist goalkeeping drills in front of the cameras.

Francesca owns a Gianluigi Buffon shirt signed by the legendary goalkeeper with a personal dedication. Buffon is one of her biggest inspirations.