Elena Linari (Italian: [ˈɛːlena liˈnaːri]; born 15 April 1994) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Women's Super League club London City Lionesses and the Italy national team. She has also played for Girondins de Bordeaux, Atlético Madrid, Fiorentina, Brescia and Roma,[1] and she has won four league titles, four cups and two supercups.[2][3] She has represented Italy internationally since 2013.[4]
.jpg) Linari with Italy in 2025 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 15 April 1994 | ||
| Place of birth | Fiesole, Italy | ||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Position | Centre back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | London City Lionesses | ||
| Number | 13 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Atletica Castello | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2008–2013 | Firenze | 107 | (8) |
| 2013–2016 | Brescia | 70 | (3) |
| 2016–2018 | Fiorentina | 44 | (13) |
| 2018–2020 | Atlético Madrid | 33 | (1) |
| 2020 | Bordeaux | 3 | (0) |
| 2021–2025 | Roma | 94 | (13) |
| 2025– | London City Lionesses | 15 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2013– | Italy | 126 | (6) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 14:45, 20 May 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 14:45, 20 May 2026 (UTC) | |||
Club career
editLinari started her youth career with Atletica Castello and played in inter-gender training matches until she moved to Claudio Desolati's football academy in Florence when Linari was fourteen years old. She then played for her region's football club Firenze for five seasons, beginning in the 2008-2009 season and making her Serie A debut at sixteen years of age with the club. Linari would also win a Primavera title with Firenze in the 2012-2013 season.
The Italian defender would make a total 107 appearances for Firenze until Linari moved to Brescia in the summer of 2013. She won more team titles with Brescia, including winning the Serie A league title in her first season with the club. Linari also made her UEFA Champions League debut with Brescia on 9 October 2014. She would later with the Coppa Italia in 2014-15, and win two Supercoppa trophies in 2014 and 2015. In the summer of 2016, Linari decided to return to her home region and play for Fiorentina, which is the club she has supported since she was a child.[5]
Linari would go on to win a league title and two Coppa Italia trophies during her two seasons playing for Fiorentina, before she chose to become the first female Italian football player to sign a professional contract when she signed with Atlético Madrid in the summer of 2018.
During her two-year stay in Spain, Linari won a Liga title and made the cup final with Atletico before moving to France to sign with Bordeaux in 2020. Her brief stay with Bordeaux was not successful, and Linari the offer to return to her native Italy and play with Roma from January 2021 onwards.[6]
On 14 January 2021, she joined AS Roma on a free transfer and signed a contract until June 2021.[7] During Linari's first six months of playing for Roma, the team's goal-concession rate dropped from 1.21 goals conceded per game to 0.88 goals conceded per game.[8] Linari's arrival is widely credited with re-installing Roma's belief in their long-term goals as well as helping lead Roma to the club's first major trophy in the women's side of the game.
On 30 May 2021, the Italian defender racked up 16 ball recoveries, completed 111 passes and won 5 aerial duels for Roma in their 2021 Coppa Italia final victory over AC Milan.[9] That victory resulted in the fourth Coppa Italia winner's medal won by Linari in her playing career.
On 1 August 2025, Linari signed for London City Lionesses in the Women's Super League.[10]
International career
editLinari was called up to the Italy squad for the UEFA Women's Euro 2017.[11]
Linari was called up to the Italy squad for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.[12]
On 26 June 2022, Linari was announced in the Italy squad for the UEFA Women's Euro 2022.[13]
On 2 July 2023, Linari was called up to the 23-player Italy squad for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.[14]
On 25 June 2025, Linari was called up to the Italy squad for the UEFA Women's Euro 2025.[15]
Career statistics
editClub
edit- As of match played 16 May 2026[16]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Continental[c] | Other[d] | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Firenze | 2008–09 | Serie A2 | 19 | 2 | ? | ? | — | — | — | 19 | 2 | |||
| 2009–10 | Serie A2 | 19 | 1 | ? | ? | — | — | — | 19 | 1 | ||||
| 2010–11 | Serie A | 17 | 1 | ? | ? | — | — | — | 17 | 1 | ||||
| 2011–12 | Serie A | 24 | 2 | ? | ? | — | — | — | 24 | 2 | ||||
| 2012–13 | Serie A | 28 | 2 | ? | ? | — | — | — | 28 | 2 | ||||
| Total | 107 | 8 | ? | ? | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 107 | 8 | ||
| Brescia | 2013–14 | Serie A | 29 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 32 | 2 | |||
| 2014–15 | Serie A | 22 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 0 | ||
| 2015–16 | Serie A | 19 | 1 | 4 | 1 | — | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 2 | ||
| Total | 70 | 3 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 90 | 4 | ||
| Fiorentina | 2016–17 | Serie A | 22 | 5 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | 26 | 6 | |||
| 2017–18 | Serie A | 22 | 8 | 4 | 1 | — | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 7 | ||
| Total | 44 | 13 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 56 | 13 | ||
| Atlético Madrid | 2018–19 | Primera División | 16 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | — | 22 | 1 | ||
| 2019–20 | Primera División | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | — | 21 | 0 | |||
| Total | 33 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 1 | ||
| Bordeaux | 2020–21 | D1 Féminine | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| Roma | 2020–21 | Serie A | 11 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 13 | 2 | |||
| 2021–22 | Serie A | 19 | 1 | 7 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 26 | 1 | |||
| 2022–23 | Serie A | 20 | 1 | 5 | 0 | — | 10 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 36 | 3 | ||
| 2023–24 | Serie A | 22 | 7 | 4 | 1 | — | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 8 | ||
| 2024–25 | Serie A | 22 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 4 | ||
| Total | 94 | 13 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 142 | 18 | ||
| London City Lionnesses | 2025–26 | Women's Super League | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 366 | 39 | 42 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 458 | 45 | ||
- ↑ Includes Coppa Italia, Coupe de France féminine, Copa de la Reina, Women's FA Cup
- ↑ Includes Women's League Cup
- ↑ includes UEFA Women's Champions League
- ↑ includes Supercoppa Italiana
International
edit- As of match played 7 March 2026[17]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 2013 | 1 | 0 |
| 2014 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 12 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 12 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 17 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 4 | 2 | |
| 2021 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2022 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 15 | 1 | |
| 2024 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2025 | 15 | 1 | |
| 2026 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 126 | 6 | |
- Scores and results list Italy's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Linari goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 8 November 2019 | Stadio Ciro Vigorito, Benevento, Italy |  Georgia |
1–0 | 6–0 | UEFA Women's Euro 2022 qualifying |
| 2. | 4 March 2020 | Estádio Algarve, Faro, Portugal |  Portugal |
1–1 | 2–1 | 2020 Algarve Cup |
| 3. | 22 September 2020 | Bosnia and Herzegovina FA Training Centre, Zenica, Bosnia & Herzegovina |  Bosnia and Herzegovina |
5–0 | 5–0 | UEFA Women's Euro 2022 qualifying |
| 4. | 14 June 2021 | Stadion Wiener Neustadt, Vienna, Austria |  Austria |
3–2 | 3–2 | Friendly |
| 5. | 1 December 2023 | Estadio Municipal de Pasarón, Pontevedra, Spain |  Spain | 3–1 | 3–2 | 2023–24 UEFA Women's Nations League |
| 6. | 3 June 2025 | Swansea Stadium, Swansea, Wales |  Wales | 1–0 | 4–1 | 2025 UEFA Women's Nations League |
Honours
editBrescia
- Serie A: 2013–14, 2015–16
- Coppa Italia: 2015–16
- Supercoppa Italiana: 2014, 2015
Fiorentina
- Serie A: 2016–17
- Coppa Italia: 2016–17, 2017–18
Roma
Individual
- Serie A Women's Team of the Year: 2020–21,[18] 2021–22,[19] 2022–23[20]
- UEFA Women's Championship Team of the Tournament: 2025[21]
References
edit- ↑ Soccerway
- ↑ RSSSF
- ↑ RSSSF
- ↑ Corriere della Sera
- ↑ "Bisogna essere riconoscenti a chi ha giocato prima di noi". L'Ultimo Uomo (in Italian). 4 June 2021. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
- ↑ bren (14 January 2021). "Official: Roma Signs Elena Linari". Chiesa Di Totti. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
- ↑ "ELENA LINARI JOINS ROMA WOMEN!". 14 January 2021. Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
- ↑ dallagente (6 June 2021). "Roma's Backline Can Build On Swaby-Linari Partnership For Years to Come". Chiesa Di Totti. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
- ↑ bren (31 May 2021). "Roma Wins 2021 Coppa Italia in Penalty Shootout". Chiesa Di Totti. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
- ↑ "Elena Linari lands in London". www.londoncitylionesses.com.
- ↑ "Ufficializzata la lista delle 23 Azzurre convocate per il Campionato Europeo". figc.it. 5 July 2017.
- ↑ "Ecco le 23 convocate per il Mondiale: il 2 giugno la partenza per la Francia" [Here are the 23 convened for the World Cup: on 2 June the departure for France] (in Italian). Italian Football Federation. 24 May 2019.
- ↑ "Confirmed the 23 players for Euro 2022". Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio. 26 June 2022.
- ↑ "Ufficializzata la lista delle 25 Azzurre in partenza per la Nuova Zelanda" [The list of 25 players leaving for New Zealand has been made official] (in Italian). Italian Football Federation. 2 July 2023.
- ↑ Clancy, Conor (25 June 2025). "Confirmed: Italy's 23-player Women's Euro 2025 squad announced". Total Italian Football.
- ↑ "Italy - E. Linari - Profile with news, career statistics and history". Soccerway.
- ↑ "Italy - E. Linari - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway".
- ↑ "Gran Galà del Calcio 2021: trionfano Lukaku e Girelli! Scopri tutti gli altri premiati" (in Italian). Gran Galà del Calcio. 19 March 2021. Archived from the original on 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ↑ "Ecco tutti i vincitori del Gran Galà del Calcio 2022" (in Italian). Gran Galà del Calcio. 18 October 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
- ↑ "Gran Galà del Calcio: tutti i vincitori della serata LIVE". Sky Sport (in Italian). 4 December 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
- ↑ "England and Spain dominate UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Team of the Tournament". uefa.com. 28 July 2025. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
External links
edit
- Elena Linari at Soccerway