Juventus Women to Watch in National Team Play
Juventus Women are in the middle of a Serie A playoff run. Their next match is against Fiorentina on April 16th, but if you want to see the squad in action, many players still have matches coming up. Numerous members of Juve Women are currently with their national teams this week with friendly matches scheduled. We will even see some of the women face off against each other as the national teams get ready for the Women’s World Cup this summer. Here are the Juventus Women members out on national team duty to keep an eye out for.
Canada
Julia Grosso, MF
In her second year with the Juventus club, Grosso has become a rising midfielder in Serie A. Leading the league in assists this season (7), she has made an impact at the club level and is looking to assist her nation in the fight to be world cup champions.
Grosso was seen sporting the Canadian national team’s new kit this past week on social media. Debuting with the U15 Canadian team in 2014, Grosso has risen through the organization. Starting all three matches in the SheBelieves Cup, Grosso has developed into an outstanding starting midfielder for her country who is considered the 6th best team in the FIFA rankings.
Watch out for Julia Grosso and Canada in their friendly match and further this summer with a strong case to make a run in the World Cup.
Friendly: Canada vs France – April 11th
Canada starts their World Cup journey vs Nigeria on July 20th
France
Pauline Peyraud Magnin, GK
Peyraud Magnin is also in her second year at Juventus and has greatly improved from her time at Arsenal. Leading the league in save percentage and clean sheets, she is one of, if not the best goalkeeper in the league this season.
Playing with the France U17 team back in 2009, the 31-year-old keeper has been part of the national team for over a decade. Starting in almost 40 matches for the French national team, Peyraud Magnin will be called upon to help lead a team in disarray with their captain and numerous others deciding not to play in the upcoming world cup due to team circumstances.
Pauline Peyraud Magnin will face off against Julia Grosso’s Canada side in an upcoming friendly before this summer’s world cup run.
Friendly: Canada vs France – April 11th
France starts their World Cup journey vs Jamaica on July 23rd
Iceland
Sara Bjork Gunnarsdottir, MF
Gunnarsdottir has over 140 appearances for the Iceland national team and has been the team captain for almost a decade. Unfortunately, we will not be seeing her in the Women’s World Cup as Iceland lost to Portugal in a play-off match during the World Cup Qualifiers. Even though we won’t see the 32-year-old this summer on the big stage we can see her lead her team against Switzerland in a friendly before we come back to Serie A play.
Friendly: Iceland vs Switzerland – April 11th
Netherlands
Lineth Beerensteyn, FW
Beerensteyn has hit new strides with her move to Juventus this season. Second on the team in goals (9) and fifth in the league, she has hit career highs. The Dutch national will be looking to continue her dominant play where she has 3 goals and 1 assist in her last 3 starts for the Dutch national team. Beerensteyn can get revenge for her Icelandic teammate this summer as the Dutch team has been grouped with Portugal and begin their world cup journey against them this July.
Friendly: Netherlands vs Poland – April 11th
Netherlands starts their World Cup journey vs Portugal on July 23rd
Sweden
Amanda Nilden, DF
Linda Sembrant, DF (c)
The two Juventus Women defenders are a strong pair to watch on a strong national team. Amanda Nilden has finally come off of an injury and has been making her way back to full shape for the Juventus squad and her national team as she just inked a new deal with the club. Nilden only has 5 appearances for the senior Swedish national team to date but is a rising star that both the club and national team are excited for. She may not be in the lineup in their upcoming friendly but we will likely see Sembrant.
The experienced Sembrant captains the Sweden national team and has over 130 appearances. Sembrant is one to watch as she has become a staple at Juve in her first year with the club standing top 3 in the club in possession and passes. Playing with the national team for 15 years, she is looking to lead the team to another successful World Cup. After finishing 3rd place in 2 of the last 3 Women’s World Cups, Sembrant will look to lead Nilden and the rest of her Swedish squad to their first World Cup victory.
Friendly: Sweden vs Norway – April 11th
Sweden starts their World Cup journey vs South Africa on July 23rd
Italy
Sara Gama, DF
Lisa Boattin, DF
Cecilia Salvai, DF
Martina Lenzini, DF
Martina Rosucci, MF
Arianna Caruso, MF
Valentina Cernoia, MF
Agnese Bonfantini, FW
Cristiana Girelli, FW
Sofia Cantore, FW
Barbara Bonansea, FW
The Italian national team is filled with members of the Juve club team. This includes Juve leading scorer Cristina Girelli, who also has the 3rd most goals (36) in the Italian national team’s history. Barbara Bonansea has the 10th most goals (23) in the history of the national team. Rounding out the forwards is the 23-year-old duo of Agnese Bonfantini and Sofia Cantore, Bonafanti getting numerous starts for the squad as of late.
At the midfield position, the experienced Martina Rosucci and Valentina Cernoia each with 60 appearances for the national team are on the roster alongside another 23-year-old Juve star, Arianna Caruso. Caruso has 6 assists this season in Serie A, tied for second in the league, 1 behind teammate Julia Grosso. Caruso has as many appearances as her teammates for the national squad and has become a staple in their lineup.
Just like we have been used to in the past with the men’s team, the women’s Italian national team has numerous starting defenders from the Turin club, Juventus. Cecilia Salvai is on the bench for the national squad but Martina Lenzini, Lisa Boattin, and Sara Gama all get the call to start often for the national squad. Boattin has started every game in the past two years for the Italian side. Alongside Boattin, Lenzini has started in more than half the matches she has participated in since joining in 2020. Last but definitely not least is Gama, captain of the national team, holding over 125 appearances for her country.
Gama will look to lead the Italian side along with her numerous Juventus teammates to break a cold streak. Italy will look to advance past the quarterfinals for the first time in history in this upcoming Women’s World Cup.