Italy and Iceland take different paths to Euro 2022

Gunnhildur Yrsa Jonsdottir has been around the block. Since breaking into top-flight football at just 14, Iceland's 33-year-old defensive midfielder has had ports of call in Iceland, Norway, Australia and the United States.

While that may sound like the checkered resume of a well-travelled player, Jonsdottir's career path has become increasingly common among her Icelandic teammates.

"I think it always helps players to challenge themselves. If you train with the best, you're going to get better. So of course, that the younger players are going abroad sooner to train with the best in the world is really good," she told DW.

Seventeen of Iceland's 23-woman Euro 2022 squad play abroad, the third highest rate at the tournament. When Iceland made their European Championship debut in 2009, only 10 members of their squad played at clubs outside of the country..

Today, Iceland's best play in England, Germany and the United States, as well as at top clubs in Sweden and Norway. This trend reflects a concerted effort to ensure young Icelandic players are tested at the highest level.

"I think it's important we have players that have played for a long time in the team, and that we have young players that are still playing at a high level in Europe," Glodís Perla Viggosdottir said to DW.

The 27-year old Bayern defender's journey in club football is reminiscent of her veteran teammate's. Viggosdottir left Iceland at 16 for Denmark, and later played in Sweden for more than half a decade before landing in Munich and playing an important role in Bayern's 2021/22 Champions League campaign.

While Icelandic domestic football has developed steadily, it simply cannot compete with the resources and infrastructure in the continent's top leagues. Equipping young players to make the jump abroad keeps the national team competitive, even if Iceland are tournament outsiders.

The Italian method

Euro 2022 dark horses Italy have less of an exploratory instinct. Only one Italian plays club football outside of Italy, leaving them tied with two other nations for the lowest at the Euros.

According to Juventus and Italy defender Lisa Boattin, this is tied to Serie A's rise.

"We've known each other for many years and cultivated this group. I think that people can gain experience from going abroad, but at the moment women's football in Italy has grown hugely. We've shown that in our performances in the Champions League. I think there's a lot to say for staying in Italy," Boattin told DW.

The 25 year old has spent her entire career in her home country. By the time Jonsdottir was the same age, she had already played college soccer in the US and was playing professionally in Norway.

Italy coach Milena Bertolini, who has spent her entire playing and coaching career in Italy, argues having the core of her squad based in the same league lends her team cohesion.

"There are certainly advantages in that those playing in Italy know each other well, and have experienced plenty of action together [domestically ] on the pitch," she told DW.

Still, Bertolini recognizes there can be drawbacks to an entirely-domestic based squad. "Going abroad is also important in terms of growth and development. You learn to play a different kind of football. So I think there are there are positives and negatives with both."

It's certainly in the Italian national team's favor that Serie A steadily improves. Next season, the league has committed to becoming fully-professional, and Juventus, where nine of the Italian squad play, reached the Champions League quarterfinals for the first time last season.

Balancing act

Obviously, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to the development of international sides. Like Italy, both Spain and England have also brought only one international-based player to the Euros and the three squads have chartered drastically different courses in the tournament so far.

Nevertheless, the best performing teams tend to have most of their players playing the most competitive leagues. Considering the massive investment poured into the Women's Super League in recent years, it is no coincidence that more players at Euro 2022 are based in England than anywhere else.

When Iceland play favored Italy, they have a chance of pulling off an upset and potentially stamping a ticket to the quarterfinals for just the second time ever. If they can, it might just have something to do with how they've built their squad.

"We have some players that are playing in Iceland, and they are also such a good asset to this team. I think it's a mixture of both. I think it brings a different aspect into the team, bringing the young ones in and still keeping the older ones. It kind of just gives a great balance," said Jonsdottir, who has nearly 100 international caps to her name.

Iceland's players aren't afraid of racking up the airline miles when finding club teams, but the national side isn't so dedicated to utilizing players based in other leagues that it shuns those playing on their own shores. For a small nation, this balancing act of strategic flexibility might be enough to help Iceland punch above their weight.