Como Women's captain retires, spotlighting uncertain future for female footballers

New York Times

11-05-2025

At 37, most soccer players know the end is near. For FC Como Women captain Alia Guagni, the decision to retire wasn't just about age — it was about life beyond the game and her long-delayed dream of becoming a mother.
One of the most respected names in Italian women's soccer, Guagni is hanging up her boots. But on Sunday, she did more than just say goodbye — she used the moment to spotlight a dilemma many female athletes face: What happens after the game?
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'My future is still uncertain. I hope to stay in football, but nothing is guaranteed,' Guagni told The Athletic. Como's 3-1 win felt almost symbolic, a quiet nod to her No. 3 jersey.
'After a career on the pitch, we (female) footballers are forced to stop and face a void. We don't have clear pathways into professional life, and we can't stop working.'
So she decided to leave the pitch with a message that hit just as hard. In collaboration with her club and the creative agency LePub, Guagni debuted a unique retirement jersey before her last game, printed with her professional résumé — a statement on the uncertainty players confront when their careers end. The message is clear: Many players, like Guagni, need a job after the final whistle blows.
'It is hard to retire for every player, but unlike Serie A players who retire with millions in the bank and a lineup of opportunities, we have to fight for everything,' she said.
To help make that transition a bit smoother for others, Guagni and FC Como Women launched the Beyond program in the 2024/25 season — an initiative offering tools, mentorship and career planning to retiring players. Starting next season, the club will only accept sponsors who commit to hiring its players after their playing days are over.
'This long-term commitment ensures that athletes are not left behind,' the club said in a statement, 'but are instead supported in building meaningful, fulfilling futures beyond football.'
'Alia Guagni is more than a legend of Italian football — she's a symbol of resilience, ambition, and the dual reality faced by so many women in sport,' Victoire Cogevina Reynal, co-founder and co-CEO of Mercury/13, the women's multi-club network that owns FC Como Women, told The Athletic. 'As she retires, we honor not only her incredible career but also the personal choices and sacrifices behind it, including her desire to become a mother. As a mother myself to a young daughter, I feel deeply connected to Alia's journey.'
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Launched in August 2023, Mercury/13 acquired a controlling stake in FC Como Women in March 2024, its first major move. Later that year, the group raised an undisclosed amount from Avenue Sports Fund, the sports-focused arm of former Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry's Avenue Capital. The deal brought a high-profile addition to Mercury/13's board: two-time USWNT gold medalist Lauren Holiday. Holiday also serves as a mentor at the Beyond program. Before landing in Como, the group explored a deal for third-tier English club Lewes FC, but negotiations ended before the takeover was finalized. The group told The Athletic it will add four new clubs to its portfolio before the end of 2026.
Guagni, 37, began her career in 2002 with Firenze Calcio Femminile, eventually becoming a captain as the team evolved into Fiorentina's women's team. She won a Scudetto, two Coppa Italia titles, and an Italian Super Cup with the club. Her career also included a stint with Atlético Madrid, where she added a Spanish Super Cup to her trophy case, then returned to Italy with AC Milan.
Internationally, Guaugni earned over 100 caps with the Italian national team, playing two UEFA Women's Euros and the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, where she helped Italy reach the quarterfinals for the first time in 28 years. Known by her peers for her pace, leadership and relentless work ethic, Guagni consistently ranked among Europe's top defenders and was twice named Italy's Player of the Year.
'I'll miss sprinting down the wing and sharing laughs with my teammates. Football has always been my passion, my joy and one thing that came naturally,' she said. 'But becoming a mother is my priority now, and that's no longer a secret. I just hope everything goes well, and I can start that chapter soon.'
(Top photo of Alia Guagni from 2022: Emilio Andreoli / Getty Images)