Fiorentina Women

Patrizia Panico named new Fiorentina Women coach

Panico will lead the Viola for the next two seasons

02 July 2021

Patrizia Panico has been confirmed as the new coach of ACF Fiorentina Femminile.

Panico has signed a two-year contract with Fiorentina, the club she ended her playing career at in the summer of 2016. Panico scored 20 goals in 21 league appearances for the club that season – Fiorentina’s first after the foundation of the women’s team.

Panico had a long and successful career as a player, winning ten Scudetto titles, five Coppa Italias and eight Italian Super Cups. She was the Serie A top scorer on an incredible 14 occasions, as well as topping the scoring charts in the UEFA Women’s Champions League twice.

The new Fiorentina Women coach also had an impressive career at international level, with Italy. Part of the team that finished runners-up to Germany at the 1997 European Championship, Panico scored a record 110 goals in 204 appearances, an achievement that sets her apart from virtually all other female footballers. Only six European female footballers have reached 200 international appearances (Panico is fifth in the all-time ranking), while no male player has achieved this feat, with only four European female footballers scoring more than 100 goals for their country.

In 2015, Panico was inducted into the Italian Football Hall of Fame.

Panico moved into coaching after hanging up her shooting boots, linking up with the Italy set-up and holding a range of positions at men’s youth level. In 2018, she was appointed head coach of the Italy U15 side, while in 2020 she was made assistant manager to Paolo Nicolato at U21 level.

Everyone at ACF Fiorentina would like to welcome Panico to the club.

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