Girelli, 35, will join the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) club San Jose, Calif. through August, pending receipt of her P-1 visa and international transfer clearance. She is expected to join Bay FC following her international duty with Italy and their World Cup qualifying matches against Sweden and Denmark on March 3 and 7, respectively.
“At this stage of my career, I felt ready for a new challenge, and the opportunity to come to the United States is incredibly exciting. I’m grateful to Juventus that helped shape me, not just as a player, but as a person,” Girelli said in a statement provided by Bay FC. “The NWSL is one of the most competitive leagues in the world, and I’ve always wanted to test myself in that environment. Joining Bay FC feels like the perfect next step.”
Girelli brings more than 20 years of professional experience for club and country to the Bay Area. She’s been a mainstay at Juventus since she joined the Turin club in 2018 from Brescia, and has altogether scored 250 goals in 400 club appearances. In 2022, Girelli became the eighth female Italian footballer inducted to the Italian Football Hall of Fame. Her last season with Juventus was particularly electric: in addition to claiming the Serie A title with her team, Girelli was the league’s top goal scorer with 19 in 24 appearances and was named MVP.
On the international stage, the 35-year-old national team captain shone for Italy at the Euros last summer; her brace against Norway helped send her country to its first continental semifinal since 1997. She was among the group of older players at that tournament who proved they still had gas in the tank and could successfully combine with and elevate younger players.
“We’re delighted to welcome Cristiana to Bay FC,” said head coach Emma Coates, who was hired in January. “She’s an intelligent and proven goal scorer who brings a wealth of experience and leadership. She has a winning mentality, with values that align perfectly with what we’re building here. She’s another important addition to our squad, and we’re excited to see the impact she’ll have.”
Girelli is likely to step into a role at Bay similar to the one she served with Italy at the Euros. The former’s roster is filled with high-ceiling young talent with plenty to prove after the club’s sophomore slump last season. Earlier this month, Bay FC signed 20-year-old U.S. women’s national team midfielder Claire Hutton from the Kansas City Current for $1.1 million, a landmark signing for the club as it prepares for its third season in the NWSL. Hutton joins another former Current teammate in 18-year-old forward Alex Pfeiffer, who signed with Bay in January. This season is also shaping up to mark the anticipated NWSL debut of 20-year-old attacker Onyeka Gamero, who signed with Bay FC from Barcelona’s B team last June but was working her way back from injury.
Girelli is the fourth Italian player to join the NWSL within the last calendar year. Her teammate on both Juventus and Italy, Sofia Cantore, was the first, signing with the Washington Spirit on June 17 last year. Two months later, the Houston Dash signed defender Lisa Boattin, also a product of Juventus and the Italian national team. And on the last day of 2025, Lucia Di Guglielmo became the third, joining Cantore at the Spirit from Roma.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Italy, Bay FC, NWSL, Women's Soccer, Women's Euros
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