Italy coach explains why she left longtime captain Sara Gama off Women's World Cup team

ROME — Longtime captain Sara Gama was left off Italy’s squad for the Women’s World Cup purely “for technical-tactical and physical” reasons, coach Milena Bertolini said Monday.

Gama was a surprising omission when Bertolini announced a preliminary 32-woman team for the July 20-Aug. 20 tournament in Australia and New Zealand.

“Don’t think that I made this choice lightheartedly,” Bertolini said at the Azzurre’s training camp in the Italian Dolomites. “As head coach I have the right and the duty to make decisions. The reasons are exclusively technical-tactical and physical. Our movement is really growing and there are a lot of young players who are improving.”

The 34-year-old Gama is a center back who has made 126 appearances for Italy and helped the national team to the quarterfinals of the 2019 Women’s World Cup in a breakout performance for the women’s game in the country. Gama has also won five Serie A titles with Juventus.

Gama said on Instagram that she was notified three days before Friday’s announcement.

“I accept the coach’s choice despite the bitterness of these difficult hours due to the manner and timeframe with which this decision was communicated to me,” Gama wrote. “I gave everything in 18 years with the national team.”

Italy finished last in its group at last year’s European Championship.

“Since September we’ve begun working on some new things and inserting younger players,” Bertolini said. “We don’t want to have to rely on only one style of play. … We need to adapt to the opponent we’re facing and know how to change during the course of a match.”

Italy opens against Argentina and also faces Sweden and South Africa in Group G. The Azzurre host Morocco in Ferrara on Saturday in a pre-tournament friendly.

Bertolini singled out defender Julie Piga and midfielder Giulia Dragoni for comment.

“It’s the first time we’ve called up Piga, who plays in France as a center back. She’s physical and excels on headers,” Bertolini said. “Dragoni, who was already called up for the last friendly with Colombia, is a talent. She’s got a lot of potential.”