The Washington Spirit signed forward Sofia Cantore from Italian club Juventus, making her the first Italian international in NWSL history. The move was announced Monday, ahead of the NWSL’s transfer window opening July 1.

Cantore, 25, joins the Spirit on a contract through the 2027 season, with a club option for 2028.

“I'm very proud to join this important club and grateful for their trust in my abilities,” Cantore said in a statement, via Jeff Kassouf of ESPN. “I'm excited to start this new chapter of my career as the first Italian player in the NWSL and can't wait to work every day with coach Adrián González and my new teammates.”

A mainstay for Italy’s national team, Cantore has five goals in 37 appearances and was recently named to the country’s provisional roster for the upcoming European Championship. She also represented Italy at the youth level.

Cantore spent her entire professional career in Italy before this move, including loan spells under Juventus, where she finished the 2023–24 season with 11 goals. That tally ranked second on the team and tied for fifth in Serie A. She also netted two of Juventus' four goals in the UEFA Champions League group stage, helping the club secure both league and domestic cup titles.

She joins a Washington squad currently in fourth place in the NWSL standings with one match remaining before the league’s summer break. The Spirit finished second in both the regular season and playoffs in 2024 but have since experienced notable changes.

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Head coach Jonatan Giráldez will depart midseason to join OL Lyon, a fellow club under the same ownership group. Assistant coach Adrián González, who previously served as interim manager last year, will assume the head coach role under a multi-year deal.

Cantore is expected to bring depth to an attack missing American star Trinity Rodman, who remains sidelined with a back injury. USWNT coach Emma Hayes said Rodman could return to training in July.

“Sofia is an important signing for this Spirit team as we continue to build up our roster to compete for trophies,” González said. “Her extensive experience in the Italian leagues and exceptional talent in the attacking third will help add a new layer for the Spirit moving forward.”

The last Italian to play in a U.S. women’s pro league was Patrizia Panico in 2010.