If she excels in front of the net,Girelli is equally skilled behind the camera.
On July 17, just as Italy qualified for the semi-finals of the UEFA European Championship for the first time in 28 years, the Italian captain, who scored twice in a 2-1 victory overNorway, was the one to grab the camera to capture a historic moment: the Nazionale's return to prominence.
And the 35-year-oldJuventus forward, who has already played four matches at a UEFA EUROs, had been eagerly waiting to do just that.
"We've accomplished something extraordinary," she expressed at the press conference after receiving her second Player of the Match award of the tournament. "To be among the top four in Europe is amazing."
Italy certainly owes her a great deal of gratitude, as she has netted three of the Nazionale's five goals throughout the tournament.
Girelli had already made her impact by scoring againstPortugal in the group stage, and she repeated the achievement against Norway with two precise finishes.
At 35 years and 84 days, her two-goal performance against Norway makes her the oldest player to score a brace in the EUROs or World Cup, surpassing Ada Hegerberg.
Her status as the veteran of an Italian team revitalized by Andrea Soncin's arrival has also earned her the nickname "Mum" within the squad, or "Cheffe," reflecting her passion for cooking.
Above all, she exemplifies selflessness to her teammates, having grown up in Italian women's football far removed from its current strength.
Maintaining peak fitness
"Women's football has evolved in every aspect, and with it, the expectations placed upon us, especially physically," Girelli summarizes.
"At Juventus, even though I was already 28 when I joined, I can say that I've become an athlete. Today, I focus on every detail to ensure I'm in the best condition possible on match day.
"As the years pass, the harder you must push yourself to stay fit. Every day, I seize the opportunity to train my body."
She is also enhancing her heading skills. Against Norway, the forward won seven out of eight aerial duels.
"Honestly, I can't recall whether heading was one of my strengths as a child. I believe I've developed this skill over time, as I only started playing closer to the goal when I arrived at Juventus," Girelli states.
"I cross and Girelli scores, often with her head. When I see her in the box, I know all I have to do is deliver the ball, and 90% of the time she'll find the net," adds Sofia Cantore, who provided the two assists for Girelli's brace against Norway.
"There aren't many players like her in the box," said the Italian coach, who believes his number 10 is a "world-class player".
A title ambition to elevate Italy to new heights
In Italy, the 35-year-old has nothing left to prove and holds the most remarkable women's record in regional football.
Girelli has won 10 Serie A titles with Verona, Brescia, and Juventus, nine Italian Cups with the same clubs, a Player of the Year award in 2020, 122 caps and 61 goals with the Nazionale, making her the second most capped player and third top scorer in the national team's history.
She was even inducted into the Hall of Fame of Italian football in 2022, joining her idol Alessandro del Piero.
Having grown up with posters of the 2006 World Cup champion in her room, Girelli now plays in front of him.
"He watches us all the time," she shared before Tuesday's semi-final against England. "He's a wonderful man and has wished us luck more than once."
The captain hopes to join the legendary former Juventus number 10 on the European podium once and for all. An achievement that would be unprecedented, as Italy has never gone beyond two finals, in 1993 and 1997.
"We've come this far and we want to keep believing, we don't want to stop, we don't want to be content with what we already have.... We firmly believe we can achieve a result against any team."
Girelli is also aware that a victory against the reigning European champions would elevate Italian women's football to new heights:"Something significant is happening in Switzerland; I'm proud to see the stadiums full and the fans passionate. I hope this is just the beginning of something similar happening in Italy."
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