Who are England women’s most frequent opponents? Perhaps you thought of Germany, or Scotland, maybe France, or perhaps Sweden – if so, you were close but not quite right.
In fact, our most frequent opponents face us once again in the 2025 UEFA European Women’s Championship semi-finals – Italy. Tuesday’s game will be the 33rd meeting between the recognized international sides. To celebrate this historic rivalry, we thought we’d produce a short, pottered history of our clashes with the Le Azzurre (The Blues).
Games between unofficial England sides and Italian teams go back to the 1960s, as we explored in an earlier blog about the 1969 Copa Europa per Nazioni.
Italy also hosted the first unofficial Women’s World Cup in 1970 and competed at the second in Mexico in 1971. Italy was a leading site for women’s football and several English and Scottish players were signed by Italian clubs. Therefore, when England were looking for a suitable challenge for their 1976 summer tour, it was natural that they travelled to Italy.
Italy had the upper hand in these early games. England lost 2-0 on the 2 June before a crowd of 10,000 at the Stadio Flaminio in Rome. Three days later, they lost 2-1 before 8,000 fans at the Stadio La Fiorita in Cesena. These crowds were much bigger than the England team could attract at home, a sign of the greater support for women’s football in Italy at that time.
England’s first ever win came on the 15 November 1977, when Carol Thomas captained the Lionesses to a 1-0-win, courtesy of a goal from Sheila Parker.
Thanks to Liz Deighan, we have a copy of a particularly interesting team photo, which shows the players in their everyday clothes, rather than their football kit.
Middle (L-R): Liz Deighan, Alison Leatherbarrow, Sheila Parker, Linda Coffin, Josie Lee, Debbie Day
Front (L-R): Maggie Pearse, Linda Curl
Photo by Hy Money.
Through the 1970s and 1980s, results would swing back and forth between the two nations. In 1979, Italian defeated England in the semi-finals of the Copa Europa per Nazioni. But in 1985, England beat Italy 3-2 in the final of the Mundialito, which was also being hosted in Italy. This was an invitational tournament for leading international sides and was one of several precursors to the first official FIFA Women’s World Cup in 1991.
Italy gained revenge though, when they beat England 2-1 in the 3rd place play off game in the 1987 UEFA Women’s European Championship, hosted by Norway.
The following year, England struck back, again winning the Mundialito on Italian soil. Linda Curl scored twice in a 2-1 win. Italy had their revenge though in 1990, when they beat England 4-1 in an exhibition game played at Wembley stadium before the men’s Charity Shield Final. This was only the fourth time the England women’s team had been allowed to play at Wembley.
The Italians continued their good form through the 1990s. Indeed, from 1989 till 2003, England didn’t record a single win in 11 games, drawing 3 and losing the rest.
Results in the 2000s were also mixed for England. While England recorded their first win since 1989 in a 2005 friendly, they lost 2-1 to Italy in the Group Stage of the 2009 UEFA European Women’s Championships.
From the 2010s onwards though, England have regained supremacy. In eight games between 2010 and 2024, England have won six, drawn once, and lost once. At present, England’s overall record reads P33, W12, D5, L15 – can the Lionesses make it another win on the 22nd July in the Semi Finals? We hope so!
Sources
http://www.englandfootballonline.com/matchrsl/MatchRslTmWompg2.html
https://www.englandfootball.com/england/womens-senior-team/Legacy
With thanks to Kerry Davis.