It’s the I shirttaly to unite, in a crescendo of emotions, the football parable of Julie Piga and Eva Schatzerthe last two players launched by Coach Andrea Soncin. Different stories but ‘Parallel Lives’ in blue, to take up the title of the work in which Plutarch, at the end of the first century, described the lives of some famous characters, from the couple Theseus-Romulus to the couple Dione-Brutus. The ‘odd’ couple, in this case, is instead formed by the Milan defender and the Juventus midfielder, united by a common path in the national team.
The 26-year-old, born in Lyon but naturalized after a long process in the French youth selections, and the 19-year-old from Bressanone were called up for the first time by Milena Bertolini on the occasion of the preparation meeting for the 2023 World Cup and made their debut – the first as a starter , the second as a substitute – last October 25th in the friendly match with Malta played at the ‘Tre Fontane’ in Rome. “When Soncin gave the training I couldn’t believe it, I was amazed but very happy to finally be able to realize my dream – declared Piga – more than a year passed between the first call and the debut, but I am aware that I needed a little ‘ time to get used to the rhythms of the new championship and to get to know my teammates, who have always supported me. We are a beautiful group and I can’t wait to be able to give my contribution again.”
Four days after the 90′ against Malta, the Rossoneri took to the field – this time in the second half – also in the Vicenza match against world champion Spain, repaying the coach’s trust with another impeccable performance. “Even then I didn’t expect it – Julie added smiling at the end of today’s training – but the staff manages to involve all the players, so I knew exactly what to do. I also want to thank Linari and the other more experienced defenders, because they constantly give me advice.” From Coverciano, where the team continues to work in view of the last match of the year scheduled for Monday 2 December against Germany (8.30 pm, Rai Sport), Schatzer also rewinds the tape of memories to give voice to his joy: “It’s It was a wonderful emotion, making my debut in the senior national team is the dream of every little girl who plays football. I’m happy to have succeeded in a race won in front of so many fans. That evening I had just started to warm up and suddenly the coach’s call came, but everything happened so quickly that I didn’t have time to worry.”
Eva represents the present and the future of Italian football and, after having climbed the hierarchies in black and white (this season she has made nine appearances in the championship embellished with two goals), she aims to reconfirm herself also in blue, perhaps already starting from the exam Bochum’s maturity: “It will be a very physical match against Germany – underlined the finalist of the European Golden Girl 2024 before going to support ‘her’ National Under 23 team in the test against Belgium – we are preparing in the best possible way, taking care of every detail with the awareness of being able to bring home another positive result against one of the most successful national teams in the world”.