New Delhi, Jan 25 (PTI) Former Italy international Pamela Conti was on Sunday named head coach of the Indian women’s U-17 team to take charge of the country’s AFC Asian Cup campaign later this year, second such appointment of a national side this month made by the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
Earlier this month, Costa Rica’s Amelia Valverde, who led her nation in the FIFA Women’s World Cups in 2015 and 2023, was roped in as the senior women team’s mentor up to the AFC Asian Cup from March 1 to 12 in Australia.
The AFC Women’s U-17 Asian Cup runs from April 30 to May 17 in China.
The AIFF said the 43-year-old Conti has joined the Indian U-17 women’s training camp in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, where the Young Tigresses are preparing for the continental tournament.
“As part of Conti’s support staff, assistant coach Vincenzo Conti, who is her brother, will also join the India U-17 women’s team,” the AIFF said in a release.
Nivetha Ramadoss will continue in the role of assistant coach.
Conti’s first official assignment will be the SAFF U-19 Women’s Championship 2026 that will take place in Pokhara, Nepal, from January 31 to February 7. India will participate in the tournament with their U-17 squad, consisting of players born in or after 2009.
A former Italy international midfielder, Conti brings with her a wealth of experience at both the elite playing and international coaching levels.
During a distinguished playing career, she earned 90 caps and scored 30 goals for the Italy women’s national team, representing her country at the highest levels of European football, including the 2005 and 2009 UEFA European Women’s Championship.
She also enjoyed an extensive club career across Italy (Sassari Torres), Spain (Levante and Espanyol), Sweden (Eskilstuna United), Russia (Energy Voronezh and Zorky Krasnogorsk) and the United States (Buffalo Flash), winning multiple domestic league titles and cup competitions.
Conti began her coaching career in 2018 with the Atletico de Madrid Femenino U-16 team in Spain. In 2019, she took up the Venezuelan senior and U-20 women’s national team job, where she remained for five years.
Conti guided Venezuela to their second-ever FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualification in 2024. The South American nation came close to qualifying for their maiden FIFA Women’s World Cup under her stewardship, but narrowly missed out on a play-off tournament berth on penalties in 2022.
In 2021, India played against Venezuela in the Torneio Internacional de Manaus de Futebol Feminino in Brazil, but Conti was absent from the dugout due to a positive COVID-19 test. Her assistant Vincenzo stood for her, overseeing La Vinotinto’s 2-1 victory over the Blue Tigresses.
Vincenzo is also a former player and served as Conti’s assistant coach in the Venezuelan senior and U-20 women’s teams. He was also the head coach of their U-17 women’s team in the South American U-17 Women’s Championship 2024.
The Indian women’s U-17 team was under Joakim Alexandersson during the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. The Swede was also in charge of the national U20 team during the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers of that age group.
With the U17 side to be under a new head coach, Alexandersson will take charge of the U20 team in the AFC Asian Cup in Thailand from April 1-18.
In a rare instance, three Indian women teams — seniors, U20 and U17 — are competing at the continental showpiece in their respective categories this year. With FIFA World Cup qualifications at stake, the AIFF has brought changes in the top coaching hierarchy. PTI PDS UNG
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