How Lucia Di Guglielmo Made Her Bold Leap From Italy to Conquer the Washington Spirit
Lucia Di Guglielmo was ready for a new challenge. After spending her entire professional career in Italy, including five seasons with Serie A side AS Roma, the Italian defender felt it was time to expand her horizons. What better opportunity than making the move to America?
"I had spent many years at Roma and felt comfortable in Rome, but I wanted to step outside my comfort zone, and I believe there's nothing better than coming to the United States," Di Guglielmo explains. "When I discovered the Spirit had interest in me, I thought, 'wow, this is an opportunity you cannot refuse.'"
Prior to signing with the Spirit, Di Guglielmo had never visited Washington, D.C., with only a family trip to New York serving as her previous experience in America. Despite this, the Pisa native understood from her initial discussions with the organization that the Spirit would be an ideal match for her.
"During my first conversation with the coaching staff and organization, they made a tremendous impression on me," Di Guglielmo explains. "Values matter greatly to me, and when selecting a club, I want our principles to align. Simultaneously, I consider what I can contribute to the organization. We had extensive discussions, and I felt confident I could be the player and individual they were seeking."
The fullback has already established herself as a key player for Italy's women's national team at only 28 years of age. Her performances for the national squad, including during the previous summer's UEFA Women's Euros, attracted the attention of Spirit's recruitment team.
Adding to our back line 👏
Welcome to DC, Lucia! pic.twitter.com/QzGfYz3tc7
"A player like Lucia represents a true footballer," Spirit's sporting director James Hocken explains. "Finding someone who fits our desired playing style, which emphasizes technical ability, someone comfortable building from the back while possessing the physical attributes to handle the league's demands, is quite uncommon to have both qualities, and Lucia demonstrated she could manage that."
Using a blend of conventional scouting and analytics-based recruitment, Hocken and his staff identified talents like Di Guglielmo and her fellow Italian, Sofia Cantore, from Serie A Women, a competition that has rarely seen players make the transition to the National Women's Soccer League.
In 2025, Cantore became the inaugural Italian player to enter the NWSL. Subsequently, three additional Italians, including Di Guglielmo, have contracted with NWSL clubs, demonstrating the development of Italian women's football. Di Guglielmo, who competed against Cantore in domestic competition when Cantore played for Juventus, is pleased to now be teammates.
"I genuinely admire Sofia both as a player and person, and our career trajectories have been remarkably similar," Di Guglielmo explains. "We've both endured numerous injuries, and I've often told her that we're here because of our hard work and we've earned it."
Cantore and Di Guglielmo's displays during the 2025 Euros provided additional validation for Hocken and the Spirit. At that stage, the organization had already been monitoring both players for club and country, but witnessing them perform at the elite level confirmed their existing belief: These athletes can compete at the highest standard and make immediate impact in the NWSL. They simply needed to bring them over.
"I must acknowledge Sofia Cantore's role," Hocken says regarding Di Guglielmo's recruitment. "She truly paved the way. It's uncommon enough to see Italians venture to different parts of Europe, but seeing them make the leap to another continent is even more unusual. When Sofia joined the NWSL, she created that opportunity. Then we witnessed Lisa Boattin move to Houston, and now Lucia has arrived as well."
💥 Lucia di Guglielmo connects with the deflection to make Tre Fontane roar. Roma lead in the derby!
Watch live for free on DAZN ▶️ https://t.co/dIfKpURfZv #SerieAFemminile pic.twitter.com/4bCUtgFFUf
Di Guglielmo experienced her inaugural NWSL match on Friday. Before joining the Spirit, she had only viewed some of the team's games on television, and the energy generated by the supporters was among the first aspects that impressed her. Making her first start with the organization in the season opener, she quickly endeared herself to fans with her excellent defending and ball skills.
Following the match, Di Guglielmo beamed when discussing the supporters at "Rowdy Audi," describing them as "incredible" and "extremely welcoming." This instant acceptance from one of the league's most passionate fan bases helped ease the disappointment of the Spirit's 1–0 defeat to the Portland Thorns, despite Di Guglielmo's impressive defensive performance for the team.
"I felt quite comfortable with the group, and I believe I managed to find the match tempo from the start," Di Guglielmo said following her NWSL debut. "However, obviously, everything here is quicker, more intense, but I enjoy it, so I think I can develop significantly. I understand I can contribute much more, but simultaneously, I need time to adapt gradually, and I don't want to force it."
Di Guglielmo's debut validated Hocken's scouting assessment and demonstrated just a glimpse of her potential contributions to the Spirit going forward. Her performance was vital to the team's attacking build-up, possession statistics, and defensive metrics, as she won eight of 11 duels.
Her new Spirit colleagues were especially complimentary of Di Guglielmo after the match. Trinity Rodman and Hal Hershfelt immediately praised her during the post-match media session.
"During halftime, I approached her in the dressing room and said, 'That's the most incredible thing I've witnessed in my life.' I'm serious, that was the most amazing performance I've ever seen," Rodman stated.
"She's exceptional at making that crucial tackle; she rescued us numerous times tonight," Hershfelt commented. "There were several occasions in the penalty area where she managed that final touch on the ball … she was outstanding."
As Di Guglielmo prepares for the remainder of the season, she anticipates immersing herself in Washington, D.C.'s atmosphere and building relationships with her teammates. During her tenure in Rome, she discovered that she flourishes in environments that celebrate diversity, which significantly influenced her decision to join the Spirit.
"In Rome we have many individuals from various places, and I genuinely enjoy trying to understand them and their cultures, it's like exploring without actually traveling," Di Guglielmo explains. "Everyone can contribute something unique, and for me, having this diversity within a team, staff, and organization overall means everything."
Currently, Di Guglielmo is concentrated on performing at her highest level for the Spirit and ensuring the supporters understand her complete commitment to her new organization.
"I genuinely enjoy developing connections with the supporters, so I hope we can establish that quickly," Di Guglielmo explains. "Fans were extremely important to me in Rome, and I'm eager for the supporters here to get to know me."
More Soccer on Sports Illustrated
More Soccer on Sports Illustrated
Jenna Tonelli is a writer for Sports Illustrated Soccer. She is passionate about women's soccer, particularly the NWSL, USWNT, and the Italian women's national team. When not thinking about soccer, Jenna can be found drinking iced coffee and rooting for the Buffalo Bills.