Giulia Dragoni

Her nickname is “Little Messi,” a label she earned in Italy after standing out in mixed youth football.

Her older brother Niccolò first pulled her into football when she was four.

She joined Inter’s youth setup in 2020 and was promoted to the under-19s at only 14.

Her football inspirations growing up included Messi, Neymar, Alexia Putellas, and Aitana Bonmatí.

At 16 years and 259 days, she became the youngest Italian ever to play at a World Cup.

Her first pre-match ritual came from her dad: she ties her left boot first, then her right, with the bow on the outside.

Away from football, she likes walking, being alone, listening to music, and reading crime novels.

She wants to study foreign languages and literature because she likes different cultures and ways of thinking.