Anna Maria Picarelli

Anna Picarelli
Personal information
Full name	Anna Maria Picarelli
Date of birth	November 4, 1984
Place of birth	Downey, California, United States
Height	1.63 m (5 ft 4 in)
Playing position(s)	Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team	Seattle Sounders Women
Number	31
Youth career
2003–2006	Pepperdine Waves
Senior career*
National team‡
	* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 4:45, May 17, 2014 (UTC); ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 12:00, May 17, 2013 (UTC)

Anna Maria Picarelli (born November 4, 1984) is an American-born Italian footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Seattle Sounders Women and the Italian national team.

Picarelli is an Italian American, born in Downey, California; her father Angelo Picarelli and uncle Joe Picarelli both became restaurateurs in Long Beach. Her paternal grandparents Mario and Maria Picarelli had migrated from Calabria to Downey in 1966.[1]

As a senior in her successful four-year career playing varsity soccer at Pepperdine University, Picarelli was called into a training camp for the United States women's national under-23 soccer team.[2] However, coach Jill Ellis quickly deemed Picarelli too small to be an effective goalkeeper at international level.

After graduating Picarelli approached Italian club Bardolino Verona who signed her after a very short trial. She played for Bardolino in a 3–3 UEFA Women's Champions League draw with Arsenal Ladies and caught the eye of Italy women's national football team manager Pietro Ghedin.[3]

In January 2008 Picarelli made her debut for Italy in a 1–0 friendly defeat in France.[4] By the time of UEFA Women's Euro 2009 Picarelli was Italy's first choice goalkeeper; playing in their shock 2–1 win over England, the 2–0 defeat to Sweden, the 2–1 over Russia and the quarter final defeat to eventual winners Germany.

After Italy's win over England, Picarelli's partner Cameron Thomas made her a marriage proposal inside the Lahti Stadium, which she accepted.[5]

After leaving Bardolino and playing her club football in America, Picarelli continued to be selected by the Italian national team. She played against the country of her birth in the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification (UEFA–CONCACAF play-off), which Italy lost 2–0 on aggregate.[6]

References

Krikorian, Doug (June 28, 2008). "Picarelli Experiencing Italy One Game at a Time". Press-Telegram. Retrieved May 17, 2013.
"Picarelli, Woods Invited to US Soccer Under 21 Women's National Team Camp". West Coast Conference Sports. January 10, 2006. Retrieved May 17, 2013.
Fisher, Sarah (April 8, 2011). "The International Player". Pepperdine University. Retrieved May 17, 2013.
"Goalkeepers". Italian Football Federation. Retrieved May 17, 2013.
Di Maria, Alessandro (August 27, 2009). "Amore mio, para e sposami la bella favola della Picarelli". la Repubblica (in Italian). Retrieved May 17, 2013.
Lowery, Steve (November 10, 2010). "Southland's Anna Picarelli an obstacle for U.S. women's soccer team". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 17, 2013.

External links

Anna Maria Picarelli – UEFA profile

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[1] Krikorian, Doug (June 28, 2008). "Picarelli Experiencing Italy One Game at a Time". Press-Telegram. Retrieved May 17, 2013.

[2] "Picarelli, Woods Invited to US Soccer Under 21 Women's National Team Camp". West Coast Conference Sports. January 10, 2006. Retrieved May 17, 2013.

[3] Fisher, Sarah (April 8, 2011). "The International Player". Pepperdine University. Retrieved May 17, 2013.

[4] "Goalkeepers". Italian Football Federation. Retrieved May 17, 2013.

[5] Di Maria, Alessandro (August 27, 2009). "Amore mio, para e sposami la bella favola della Picarelli". la Repubblica (in Italian). Retrieved May 17, 2013.

[6] Lowery, Steve (November 10, 2010). "Southland's Anna Picarelli an obstacle for U.S. women's soccer team". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 17, 2013.