Karen Appiah Amoakoah

Karen was born in Brescia and is eligible to represent both Italy and Ghana through her heritage.

Karen comes from a Ghanaian family and says she feels enriched by growing up between two cultures. At home, her family preserves Ghanaian traditions, while outside the home she embraces Italian culture, describing the combination as something that broadens her perspective on life.

Karen's football story began in the parks, schoolyards and church courtyards of San Polo, a district of Brescia, where she spent hours playing with boys after school because she simply couldn't stay away from the ball.

She wasn't discovered through a professional academy. At 14 years old, a scout spotted her during a game at a local church oratory in San Faustino, which led to her joining Lumezzane and starting her organized football journey.

Karen says Luigi Mancini, a director at Lumezzane, became like a second father to her. Since her own father couldn't always be present during her football development, Mancini supported and encouraged her throughout her early career.

She joined AC Milan's youth academy before progressing through the Primavera squad into the first team. Just one week after her debut, she scored her first professional goal against Ternana, marking a dream start to senior football.

She describes Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior as her football idols. She admires their direct, vertical style of attacking and the confidence with which they take on defenders.

Karen has a breat bond with her older sister, Christina.

Her Christian faith plays a central role in her life. She was baptized in the Evangelical Church shortly before joining AC Milan and says her faith gives her strength both on and off the pitch.