‘Mister Panico’ is first woman to manage a male football team in Italy

Patrizia Panico, better known as ‘Mister Panico’, has become Italy’s first-ever woman to coach a male national team.

History was made on Wednesday when she led Italy’s U-16 national team to an international friendly match against Germany in the northern city of Verona.

Although the match ended in defeat for her side, the former Italian international has already etched her name into history books.

Before the game, she had said, “I didn’t expect all the fuss that there’s been in recent days”.

“For me this is a starting point and I hope as many woman as possible can pursue a Coaching career in the future.

“The lads still call me ‘mister’ [the Italian equivalent of ‘boss’ or ‘gaffer’], it’s the force of habit but we can wait to rewrite the vocabulary of football, what matters now is conveying my ideas to the team.

“As a striker I want an attacking and dynamic style of football in which the players must be able to change position without giving reference points to the opponents.

“I don’t like raising my voice, I think saying things slowly and calmly offers greater assurances. Here [at Stadio Bentegodi] I lost a Champions League semi-final and also a play-off with the Netherlands for the World Cup in Canada.

“Fortunately, football often gives you a chance for revenge and I hope to be more lucky,” she added.