 Bertolini withBrescia in 2016 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Milena Bertolini[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1966-06-24)24 June 1966 (age 59) | ||
| Place of birth | Correggio, Italy[2] | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| U.S. Correggese | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1984–1987 | Reggiana | ||
| 1987–1988 | Modena Euromobil | ||
| 1989–1990 | Prato | ||
| 1990–1991 | Reggiana | ||
| 1991–1992 | Woman Sassari | 27 | (1) |
| 1992–1993 | A.S.D. Bologna | 28 | (1) |
| 1993–1994 | Aircargo Agliana | 29 | (0) |
| 1994–1996 | Fiammamonza | 46 | (1) |
| 1996–1998 | Modena Femminile | 44 | (0) |
| 1998–1999 | Pisa S.C.F. | 19 | (0) |
| 1999–2001 | Foroni Verona | 46 | (1) |
| Total | 239+ | (4+) | |
| International career | |||
| Italy | |||
| Managerial career | |||
| 2001–2002 | Foroni Verona (assistant) | ||
| 2002–2003 | Foroni Verona | ||
| 2004–2011 | Reggiana | ||
| 2012–2017 | Brescia | ||
| 2017–2023 | Italy | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Milena Bertolini (born 24 June 1966) is an Italian formerfootballer andmanager who last coached theItaly women's national team. As the national team coach, she led Italy to qualify for the2019 FIFA Women's World Cup following a twenty-year absence.
Bertolini began her youth career with U.S. Correggese, before moving toReggiana in 1984.[3] The team won the Serie B title in the 1985–86 season, therefore earning promotion toSerie A. After spells atModena Euromobil andPrato, she returned to Reggiana in 1990, helping the team to win the Serie A title.[4] She later went on to play forWoman Sassari, A.S.D. Bologna, Aircargo Agliana andFiammamonza. In 1996, she joined Modena Femminile, winning the league title in both her seasons at the club, along with theSupercoppa Italiana in 1997. In 1998, she joined Pisa S.C.F., before moving toForoni Verona where she played until her retirement in 2001.[4]
In 2018, she was the woman footballer inductee to theItalian Football Hall of Fame.[5]
Following her retirement in 2001, she became an assistant coach atForoni Verona, the club she last played at, with the team winning the 2001–02 Coppa Italia. The following season, she was promoted as the team's head coach, leading them to Supercoppa Italiana and Serie A titles.[6][7] In 2004, she returned to her former clubReggiana, winning the 2009–10 Coppa Italia during her tenure.[8] In 2012, she joinedBrescia, where she won two Serie A titles (2013–14 and 2015–16), two Coppa Italia titles (2014–15 and 2015–16) and three Supercoppa Italiana titles (2014, 2015 and 2016). During her managerial career in Serie A, she won thePanchina d'Oro award as the best manager of the season on six occasions (2008, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2015 and 2016).[7]
At the end of the 2010–11 season, Bertolini obtained aUEFA Pro Licence, allowing her to coach a high level men's team.[9]
In August 2017, she was appointed as the head coach of theItaly women's national team.[10] In2019 Women's World Cup qualification, she helped the team to win theirqualifying group with only one loss, thus qualifying for the2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France. The tournament is Italy's third appearance at the Women's World Cup, and their first qualification after a twenty-year absence.[11] She later led her country to bothEuro 2022 and2023 World Cup; however, Italy was eliminated from the group stages. On 7 August 2023, she announced her resignation from her post at the national team following the World Cup exit.[12]
Bertolini was involved in a dispute in February 2022 by tellingNicolò Zaniolo to "reeducate" himself after he was sent-off for dissent. She later apologised for her vulgar speech.[13]
Reggiana
Modena
Individual
Foroni Verona
Reggiana
Brescia
Individual
General references
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Italy squads | |||||||||||||
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