Arianna Caruso: From poolside to the limelight

There was no stadium, no club facilities, no pitch where it all started. It was by the side of a swimming pool in Rome on a dusty afternoon. The sun was shining, the water glistening. A young Arianna Caruso wasn’t really bothered about swimming. While her sister swam lengths with a friend, she played outside with a ball, with no shoes. She was always on the move, as if to say this is where she belonged.

Alfonso, the father of her sister’s friend, was watching her. A police officer, he was trained to observe. But in his free time, he was a football coach. He asked Arianna’s parents whether she wanted to train with his team. Her Dad – a football fan his whole life – immediately said yes. Her Mum was unsure but eventually agreed. One training session marked the start of a journey that took Caruso from Juventus to Bayern in February this year. It was that afternoon by the pool, a ball and a police officer that shaped her life.

New life in Turin

Juventus wasn’t a goal for Caruso but a springboard. The Rome native joined the Turin club aged just 17, moving to an unknown city up north and to a team that had just been created. It was new territory for Caruso, whose childhood idol was Rome’s own Francesco Totti. She would stay with Juventus for seven and a half years, becoming part of a project that has helped shape women’s football in Italy. She became captain, a senior international and the club’s record appearance holder with over 200 games.

Until the end

The midfielder developed into someone capable of dictating play and became a figure of identification for Le Bianconere. She also enjoyed great success, winning seven Serie A titles, plus the Coppa Italia and the Supercoppa Italiana three times each. It’s the sort of record that many would happily take in their career. But for the 25-year-old, it was just the foundation. Fino alla fine (until the end) – Juventus’ club motto – is what guides her. “That’s what I took with me. It’s not just in football but also in life,” Caruso explains of the saying now engrained in her mentality.

Ari, as she’s known by everyone in the team, moved to Munich in February to don the red and white of Bayern. After over seven years in Turin, she knew it was time for change. “I felt I wanted to do something new, go another way for me as a player and a person,” Caruso stated. She’s now very much settled in her new home. “Munich reminds me a bit of northern Italy. It’s not like Rome. It’s the complete opposite, but there are certain similarities.” Things are also progressing nicely with her German, even though she admits it isn’t easy. “My favourite word is genau [exactly]. I hear it all the time,” she jokes.

The midfielder had come across Bayern even before her transfer. Having faced the Munich Frauen as an opponent, she knew how demanding it would be to make her mark at this level. Now she’s one of those challenging other teams. “I hope the fans can fall in love with me. I’ll give my all for this shirt,” she insisted. Caruso very much looks like she’s settled in a city that immediately accepted her, in a team that welcomed her with open arms, in a season that would end up being the most successful in the club’s history by winning the domestic double.

European action

Fresh from lifting the Bundesliga and DFB Cup, Caruso’s attentions turned to the summer’s Euros in Switzerland. “It really was a special Euros for me for Italy,” she admitted. Nobody expected them to get to the semi-finals, winning the hearts of fans and the minds of pundits. “I hope what we showed on the pitch will help children and teenagers – especially girls – to develop their enthusiasm for women’s football.”

Affirmation for a generation that believes in itself and for a player who never stops setting herself new challenges. “We made some history,” she said quietly, but with the emphasis of someone who knows exactly what that means. 

Past meets present

And now, on Thursday evening, she will meet some of the teammates with whom she experienced that special summer. “When we watched the draw together in the gym here at the Campus and Juventus were drawn, I had to smile,” she says. “I thought this is fate. I’d had a feeling that it might end up being Juve.” At that moment, the past and present merged, as did friendships and rivalries, memories of home and the new challenges in Munich. Caruso still follows Juventus today, watches their games, keeps in touch with former teammates and emphasises: “I always wish them the best.”

Battling for every ball

Except this week. “Turin was my home for many years, so this fixture is very special,” she said, before turning her attention to the task ahead. “Of course I have respect, but obviously we want to win this game. Also because we have to win after last week.” As soon as the whistle blows, nostalgia will be nothing more than a faint background noise. “From the first minute, it's a normal match. But the memories give it a special touch,” she explained.

Juventus will be a tough challenge for José Barcala's team. “They play very tactically, are strong on the counter-attack and defensively solid. We have to be ready from the first minute to the last,” the 25-year-old warned. She knows key players such as Cristiana Girelli, who was outstanding at the Euros, and Switzerland's Lia Wälti in midfield very well. This knowledge of the team's structure and individual strengths gives the Munich players valuable guidance.

A game with feeling

Things will remain calm inside her when she takes to the pitch in Munich on Thursday evening. No noise, only the thrilling feeling of the past meeting the present. Her first coach, Alfonso, will be watching the match with excitement on TV in Rome, while her family cheer her on in the stands at the Campus. As for Ari, she’ll just do what she’s always done since that day by the swimming pool – play and win.

🏟️ FC Bayern Women host Arsenal at the Allianz Arena in November: 

🔍 Take a closer look at Juventus before Thursday’s game: