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Carolina Morace

Carolina Morace (Italian pronunciation: [karoˈliːna moˈraːtʃe]; born 5 February 1964) is an Italian politician and former footballer, who played as a striker. She was most recently the head coach of Lazio Women. She played for the Italian national team and for various clubs in women's Serie A. She was the top scorer in Serie A in the 1984–85 season, and for 11 consecutive years from 1987–88 to 1997–98, and she holds the distinction of scoring the first hat-trick in a FIFA Women's World Cup. She is also a registered lawyer.

Carolina Morace
Official portrait, 2024
Member of the European Parliament
Incumbent
Assumed office
15 July 2024
ConstituencyCentral Italy
Personal details
Born (1964-02-05) 5 February 1964 (age 60)
Venice, Italy
Political partyFive Star Movement
Association football career
Position(s) Striker
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1978–1979 Belluno
1979–1982 Bardolino
1982–1984 Lazio (27)
1985–1987 Trani
1987–1989 Lazio (66)
1989–1991 Reggiana 52 (67)
1991–1993 Milan Salvarani 55 (64)
1993–1994 Torres 30 (33)
1994–1995 Agliana 24 (31)
1995–1996 Verona 20 (39)
1996–1998 Modena 54 (88)
Total 315 (415)
International career
1978–1997 Italy 153 (105)
Managerial career
1998–1999 Lazio
1999 Viterbese (men's)
2000–2005 Italy
2009–2011 Canada
2016–2017 Trinidad and Tobago
2018–2019 Milan
2021 Lazio
2023–2024 London City Lionesses
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

After retiring as a player, she began a managing career with Lazio. She then managed the Italian national team from 2000 to 2005, and the Canadian national women's team from 2009 to 2011. In 2014, she was the first woman to be inducted into the Italian Football Hall of Fame.[1] Morace was elected to the European Parliament in 2024.

Playing career

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International

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Born in Venice, Morace debuted for the Italian women's national team in 1978, against Yugoslavia, at the age of 14.[2] During her career, she made 153 appearances for Italy, scoring 105 goals. While playing in the Italian national women's league, she scored more than 550 goals.[2] She took part in six European Championships as well as the inaugural FIFA Women's World Cup China 1991, where she scored four goals,[3] including recording the first ever hat-trick to be scored at a World Cup in their 5–0 win against Chinese Taipei.[4]

As a curtain-raiser to the 1990 FA Charity Shield, Italy played the England women's national football team at Wembley Stadium. Morace scored all four goals in England's 4–1 defeat and was featured on the front page of the following day's La Gazzetta dello Sport,[5] a record that has never been beaten by a male or female player since.

Coaching career

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Morace holds a UEFA PRO License and is probably best known for having been the first woman to coach a professional men's football team, Viterbese of Italian Serie C1, a post she took in June 1999.[2] She eventually resigned from her position after only two matches as the President interfered with management of the technical staff.

For 5 years from 2000 to 2005, she was head coach for Italian women's national team, qualifying twice for the European Championships. In 2008–2009 Morace accepted a role as the head coach of a Men's Parliamentary Team preparing them for competition.

In February 2009, she was announced as the new head coach of the Canadian national women's team.[6] Under her guidance, Canada won the 2010 CONCACAF, 2010 and 2011 Cyprus Cups and 2010 Four Nations Tournament. At the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup the team's top goal scorer Christine Sinclair broke her nose in the opening match and subsequently the team did not progress to the next round as expected. In the first ever FIFA Physical Analysis[7] at a Women's World Cup, Canada excelled in the distances covered at high speed in comparison to other teams reflecting in their quick tempo, short passing and high pressing game. Unexpectedly, she formally announced her resignation as the coach of the Canadian national women's team on Friday 22 July 2011 due to future budget disputes. Over her 2.5 years in charge Morace improved Canada's FIFA ranking from 11th to 6th position in the World.

From 2011, Carolina Morace has been leading and conducting FIFA Coaching Courses around the world as a FIFA Ambassador and Instructor. Her experience as the CEO of Juventus Academy Roma prompted her to begin her own Football Academy, Pro Soccer Coaching.[8]

On 17 September 2015, it was announced that Morace had been appointed technical director of a Men's National Premier League Club Floreat Athena FC in Western Australia.[9]

In December 2016, she was appointed Head Coach of her third National Team Trinidad and Tobago Women's National Team.[10] In 2017 she and her team terminated the contract because of payment issues and later won their case with Court of Arbitration for Sport and FIFA.[11]

In 2018, Morace returned to Italy as she became the first coach of AC Milan Women in Serie A finishing third in their inaugural season and the only team to defeat Juventus 3–0.[12]

In February 2021, Morace returned to her former side Lazio.[citation needed] On 9 May 2021, Lazio earned promotion back to Serie A for the 2021–22 season.[citation needed] In October 2021, she was sacked by the club, along with assistant coach Nicola Williams after five consecutive losses.[13]

In July 2023, Morace was appointed head coach of the Women's Championship (England) side London City Lionesses on a two-year deal starting from the 2023–24 Women's Championship season[14] Morace was sacked by the Lionesses on 7 February 2024, with the club 10th in the Championship and in relegation trouble.[15]

Political career

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In April 2024, former prime minister Giuseppe Conte, president of the Five Star Movement, announced Morace's candidacy at the top of the list in the Central Italy constituency for the European Parliament election in June,[16] and she was subsequently elected member of the European Parliament (MEP).[17]

Personal life

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Morace gained a law degree in 1996 and practises at a legal studio in Rome.[2][18]

After featuring for 13 years on Italian television, Morace became a celebrity in Italy. Her role as a football commentator and analyst for the Men's Serie A Professional League saw her work across channels La7, Telemontecarlo, Rai 1 and Rai International and write weekly articles for La Gazzetta Dello Sport.

In 2015, Morace featured in a comic book as a coach for a Professional Primavera football squad called "Elfio e i Satanelli!".[19]

On 11 October 2020, Morace came out as lesbian, recounting her life in her book Fuori dagli schemi.[20] She married the former Australian footballer Nicola Williams, with whom she celebrated the wedding twice—first in Bristol, on the SS Great Britain, and the second in Australia.[20]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Hall of fame, 10 new entry: con Vialli e Mancini anche Facchetti e Ronaldo" [Hall of fame, 10 new entries: with Vialli and Mancini also Facchetti and Ronaldo] (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. 27 October 2015. Retrieved 27 October 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d Frances Kennedy (27 June 1999). "Letter from Rome: Morace takes on the men". The Independent. Retrieved 5 November 2009.
  3. ^ "Italy:Carolina Morace". FIFA. Archived from the original on 12 July 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2009.
  4. ^ "Chinese Taipei – Italy 0:5". FIFA. Archived from the original on 13 October 2007. Retrieved 5 November 2009.
  5. ^ Tiziana Bottazzo (19 August 1990). "Carolina Morace, quattro gol per far girare la testa a Wembley". La Gazzetta dello Sport. Retrieved 28 September 2011.
  6. ^ "Italian star taking over Canadian women's soccer team: reports". CBC.ca. 5 February 2009. Retrieved 5 February 2009.
  7. ^ FIFA.com. "Official Documents - Football Development". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 10 July 2015. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  8. ^ "Pro Soccer Coaching, Perth WA | Professional Coaching Service in Football (Soccer)". prosoccercoaching.com.au. Archived from the original on 9 January 2019. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  9. ^ "ATHENA APPOINTS NEW TECHNICAL DIRECTOR". floreatathenafc.com.au. 17 September 2015. Retrieved 17 September 2015.[permanent dead link‍]
  10. ^ "Carolina Morace Announced Head Coach of Trinidad and Tobago". 8 December 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  11. ^ "Morace and staff hit the exit | the Trinidad Guardian Newspaper". Archived from the original on 30 July 2018. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  12. ^ Milan, AC. "WELCOME CAROLINA MORACE - AC Milan". AC Milan. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  13. ^ "Carolina Morace esonerata dalla Lazio Women. Squadra a Massimiliano Catini" [Carolina Morace sacked by Lazio Women. Team to Massimiliano Catini] (in Italian). Sky Sport. 4 October 2021.
  14. ^ "Italian legend Morace appointed head coach of London City Lionesses". FAWSL Full-Time. 4 July 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  15. ^ "Carolina Morace leaves London City Lionesses". She Kicks. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  16. ^ "Europee, Conte annuncia la candidatura dell'ex calciatrice Carolina Morace". La Stampa (in Italian). 21 April 2024.
  17. ^ "Elezioni europee, ecco gli italiani eletti al Parlamento di Strasburgo". Sky tg24 (in Italian). 11 June 2024.
  18. ^ "Carolina Morace interview". Free Kick. Retrieved 5 November 2009. [dead link‍]
  19. ^ Redazione (21 December 2015). "Carolina Morace è l'allenatrice diÆlfio e i Satanelli!". Stato Quotidiano. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  20. ^ a b Scorranese, Roberta (11 October 2020). "Carolina Morace fa coming out: "Amo una donna, nel calcio troppa omofobia"". Corriere della Sera (in Italian).
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