. Only the United States’ victory over Spain prevented a clean sweep by European teams in the round of 16, and the defending champions now have to face host France on Friday.
All but one of the Italian players plays at home, with eight out of 23 playing on the Serie A-winning Juventus squad. The majority of the squad still plays for Norwegian clubs, which struggle to make an impact in continental competitions and can’t afford the professional contracts enjoyed by the entire England travelling party.
“The investment and output and the value you get for money invested is high in women’s football,” said Nadine Kessler, the former world player of the year who is now head of women’s football at European governing body UEFA. “It can pay off much quicker than in the men’s game.”