Her career has been filled with success, from Brescia and Fiorentina to Atletico Madrid and Roma, culminating in an extraordinary summer at EURO 2025.
Italy reached the semi-finals for the first time in 28 years, only to suffer a heartbreaking defeat against eventual champions England, conceding the decisive goal in the 119th minute of extra time. Linari was also the only Italian player selected in UEFA's official Team of the Tournament, alongside stars such as Aitana Bonmati, Alexia Putellas and Lucy Bronze.
Today, the Italian defender is embracing a new challenge in England with London City Lionesses, an ambitious club dedicated exclusively to women's football. In this exclusive interview with Flashscore, Linari reflects on her career, recalls the emotions of the continental tournament in Switzerland and discusses the challenges women's football still faces in Italy.
She also opens up about her decision to leave AS Roma, the ambitious London City project and the vision of club owner Michele Kang, whose name has even been mentioned as a potential future candidate for the FIFA presidency.
Flashscore: How did you first start playing football, and when did you realise it could become your profession?
Linari: "I started playing football when I was five years old, but as I often say, I actually think I started playing when I was still in my mother's womb. My parents had season tickets at the Stadio Franchi in Florence when my mother was pregnant with me, and they kept going to matches until shortly before I was born. Given the connection between the womb and the outside environment in which a baby develops, I like to think that football was already running through my veins before I was even born.
"At five, I was also swimming alongside playing football. But at a certain point, my mother told me I had to choose between the two sports because she couldn't keep taking my sister and me swimming and then drive me to football training as well. So I decided to put on my football boots and save my swimsuit for the summer, or for whenever I felt like getting back into the pool, because I still love swimming.
"From that moment on, football became my passion, right from the very first time I put on a pair of boots."
You've enjoyed a hugely successful career, winning five league titles in Italy and playing in Spain and elsewhere abroad. Which victory means the most to you?
"The victory that means the most to me is simply that I kept believing it was possible. I wouldn't want to reduce my entire career to the titles or trophies I've won, whether individually or with my teams. I like to think that my greatest success was believing in that childhood dream of becoming a footballer right until the very end.
"I never imagined I could actually become a professional footballer and turn football, my passion, into my job. There have been so many difficulties, moments of discouragement when I even thought about giving up, moments of tears, but also so many wonderful moments filled with laughter, victories and records.
"For me, that's the biggest lesson, because football is my job, but it's also something that should teach me lessons about life, and that's exactly what's happening.
"My greatest victory is having reached where I am today without ever giving up, despite all the difficulties. But above all, it's being able to continue enjoying myself every single day. Playing football is wonderful, even though it can sometimes become demanding because of all the choices you have to make to maintain such a high level.
"As for me, even though I'm far from home and on my own, I still enjoy myself; I love this sport more and more every day, and above all, I keep learning something new from it."
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What have your experiences abroad taught you, first in Spain, then in France with Bordeaux, and now in England?
"My experiences abroad have taught me what it means to be just one player among many, rather than being looked after in the way I often was in Italy. Abroad, you're one of many, or at least that's how it's been for me at every club I've played for. In Italy, being Italian can make things a little easier, especially because of the language and the relationships you can build with coaches and staff.
"Abroad, you need a period of adjustment, which in my case has always taken around six months to a year. Those experiences taught me to adapt more quickly, discover new cultures and, above all, never give up. Being on the bench wasn't easy for me, nor was finding myself left out of the squad for the first time, sometimes even sitting in the stands. Accepting those decisions was extremely difficult because I'd never experienced anything like that before.
"I wouldn't change a single thing I've done. In fact, I'd do it all again, because those experiences have allowed me to become who I am today. I'm very proud of my journey, including the moments when I struggled.
"What I'm learning now, particularly here in England, is not to focus exclusively on those 90 minutes or on whether or not I play in a particular match, but to look at the bigger picture and think more about the long term. I'm trying to improve every day. That's not to say I wasn't doing that before, but I used to be very focused on individual matches and playing the full 90 minutes.
"That's still one of my objectives, but now there's a stronger desire to grow and improve on a daily basis. Because if you manage to improve every day, including mentally, you feel better about yourself. And even when you're not playing regularly, you can maintain a clear mind, positive energy, enthusiasm and a high level of intensity.
"Playing abroad has taught me that too: to understand what it means to be on the bench."
At EURO 2025, Italy came within touching distance of the final, and you were named in the Team of the Tournament. What was that experience like from the inside?
"I think EURO 2025 was a magical moment for all of us, for Italian women's football and for the national team, especially considering the support we received from fans both in Switzerland and back home.
"It was special because we created a unique energy, a sense of togetherness within the group that went beyond all the difficulties and physical challenges we faced. Our preparation for the Euros was tough, with intense training sessions in the heat of Florence, often very early in the morning to avoid the hottest hours of the day. And then there was all the physical effort we put in during the tournament itself.
"It wasn't equally easy for everyone. I was fortunate enough to play every match, but within the group there was such positive energy and a determination from all the girls to maintain that feeling, regardless of whether they were playing or not. If we managed to achieve that result, it was also, and above all, thanks to the players who had fewer opportunities on the pitch but still managed to make an enormous contribution to those of us who were lucky enough to start matches.
"From a physical and tactical point of view, we played what I would describe as an almost perfect European Championship, and that allowed us to compete on equal terms with every opponent we faced.
"There will always be a little bitterness about missing out on the final by just a few seconds, but I think what we achieved was extraordinary.
"Now, though, if we want to build on that success, we need to qualify for the World Cup. That would be an important opportunity to continue developing the entire women's football movement, give continuity to the projects started both by the Italian Football Federation and within the domestic league, and allow Italian clubs to continue growing as well."
Despite that remarkable achievement, media attention towards the Italian women's national team still seems limited. Is there a cultural problem?
"Yes, I think there's still a cultural issue, perhaps also a certain reluctance to give space and attention to sports other than those that traditionally enjoy greater visibility.
"I'm thinking, for example, of volleyball, basketball, handball or winter sports, all of which have achieved extraordinary results. And yet sometimes it seems that an exceptional achievement is needed just to earn the coverage and recognition these sports deserve. I wonder why it always has to be so difficult. Often, more attention is paid to aspects of athletes' private lives than to the achievements of athletes and national teams representing our country.
"This also has consequences for younger generations. There are so many sports that children rarely get the chance to watch on television, and unless they come across teachers or educators at school who introduce them to those disciplines, they risk never discovering them at all. And that makes me sad.
"I believe there's still a lot of work to be done in women's football too, particularly when it comes to making the most of moments when public interest and attention increase, as happened after the Euros. Those are important opportunities that should be used to maintain that visibility and bring more and more people closer to the sport.
"When I look at other European national teams, such as the Netherlands or England, I see full stadiums and a strong sense of belonging among supporters. In Italy, we mainly manage to attract families and youth football clubs, which is wonderful because it creates a positive and safe environment. But I'd love us to go beyond that and reach an even wider and more passionate audience.
"What I'd really like to see is a stronger sense of belonging towards our national teams, regardless of the sport they play. Because when a team represents Italy, it should be something we can all identify with."
You chose to join London City Lionesses, a club dedicated entirely and exclusively to women's football. What convinced you, and what are the club's ambitions?
"What convinced me about London City was definitely the project, which is extremely ambitious and aims to create something unique and historic in football, not just women's football. When I received the call, I felt very honoured, and I immediately thought it might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
"It wasn't easy for me to decide to leave Roma, because it felt like home and I'd spent four extraordinary years there, winning everything I could possibly win. But I also think that, at a certain point, cycles can come to an end, and I'd probably reached a stage in my career when I felt the need to change something in order to keep growing.
"So far, joining London City has been a wonderful decision, and I'd make the same choice again, despite some difficulties. It's a new club, built practically from scratch, so it's normal that there are still a few things to fine-tune. The journey that began last year and has continued this season is an ambitious one. There's a desire to win, but above all to help players develop both individually and collectively. For me, that's the most important aspect.
"The club and its ownership are determined to invest in every area, not just the first team but also the youth development system and the coaching and support staff. The number of people working around us is growing day by day, and sometimes my teammates and I laugh because, at breakfast or lunch, we find ourselves looking at people we've never seen before and wondering who they are.
"That gives you an idea of just how determined the club is to pursue excellence. This summer's transfer activity also demonstrates the club's objectives in both the short and long term.
"We don't want to put too much pressure on ourselves, because we know how competitive and difficult the league is. At the same time, we're all aware of our responsibilities and what we need to do on the pitch to build something unique, not just in England but around the world.
"At the end of the season, the club will assess what has been achieved and what still needs to be done. I have no doubt about its determination to help us keep developing in every area. And we shouldn't forget that the new training centre is still under construction and could be completed in about a year, providing even more opportunities for players to develop.
"Right now, I don't know whether my future will still be in London because my contract is expiring. But at this moment, I'm only thinking about playing my part in London City's history, bringing with me the experience I've gained in the past and everything I'm learning here day after day."
London City owner Michele Kang has been mentioned by some as a potential candidate for the FIFA presidency. You know her personally. What do you think?
"First of all, I think she would bring a different perspective, putting women and their role in sport more at the centre of things. It would be wonderful to see a woman leading such an important institution, someone capable of bringing fresh ideas and contributing to a cultural change. I don't know what the actual possibilities would be from a regulatory point of view, but regardless of the fact that she's my club president, I think it could send a very important message to the entire women's football movement.
"Michele Kang is a visionary, one of the first people to recognise women's football as a genuine investment opportunity, not just for the future but for the present as well. Of course, there's also a business and financial dimension, and rightly so. What I appreciate about her vision is precisely her ability to look beyond immediate returns and invest in the growth and development of a movement that still has enormous potential.
"In general, I believe it's important to make room for new ideas, fresh perspectives and different priorities at the highest levels of sporting institutions too. After so many years, it's only natural to feel the need for renewal and new inspiration.
"I'd love to see more and more women taking on positions of responsibility and leadership, including at the very highest levels of FIFA. It would be an important step towards more balanced representation and could help further strengthen the position of women's football within the international game."
Emanuele Giulianelli is an Italian freelance journalist and author working for Flashscore since 2026. He has collaborated with some of the world’s leading newspapers and media outlets, establishing himself as a recognized voice in international sports storytelling and analysis.