Chatting to Elena Linari

It’s just after lunch in the London City Lionesses players’ lounge – plates clatter, conversations overlap and Izzy Goodwin’s laugh echoes through the room on occasion.

Elena Linari sits at the table, smiling warmly as she finishes chatting to a staff member before turning back for a chat.

Her presence is commanding, the calm confidence that comes from years of competing at the highest level and featuring over 100 times for the Italian national team, but the energy she brings to the room is pure kindness.

Tattoos sleeve her arms, small glimpses of the journey behind her, Linari speaks with the kind of openness that makes you forget you’re doing an interview at all.

“I feel very good here,” she says, her voice light but certain. “Since the first time I entered the locker room, I felt very welcome. For me, it’s a dream come true to be here… we just need time as a team now.”

You get the sense she means every word.

Linari’s story starts in Fiesole, a small town overlooking Florence, the kind of place that holds onto its roots as tightly as she does. “My family is from Florence,” she says with pride. “If it’s breakfast, I like pancakes with peanut butter and banana,” she laughs, before describing her go-to post-training meal, white scrambled eggs, avocado, and potatoes.

It’s easy to tell she finds joy in the details, whether that’s the right breakfast, the perfect penalty, or a good conversation after training.

When asked what she might be doing if not for football, she grins: “Maybe I’d be in the military or police… or maybe another sport, because I love lots of sports.” Then, after a pause, she adds something telling:

“In football, I’d love to be the one who prints the jerseys or cleans the boots – the kit manager would be okay for me!”

It’s not a throwaway line; it reflects who she is. No ego, no hierarchy. Just someone who loves the game enough to want to stay close to it in any way.

Her teammates call her Linus, a nickname that has followed her from the Italian national team. “It’s like me, but on the pitch,” she explains.

“I had many superstitions before… putting my right shinpad on first, wearing the same under-jersey, I was too addicted to it. One day, I said, ‘Okay, it’s enough.’ Now I just focus on myself.”

That maturity defines the defender. “I think I’m pretty good technically, playing with my right and left feet,” she says modestly. “My strength is reading the game, to always be connected. I think I’m smart. I think I know a lot about football, not everything for sure, I’m here to learn but to learn from the other players and their experiences.”

There’s something quietly brave about how she tells her weaknesses. No excuses, no hiding, just honesty: “My weakness? Rapidity. I’m not very fast! But this league helps me a lot because it’s very fast and physical.”

The WOOP app is the most-used app on her phone, for monitoring herself, alongside WhatsApp and FaceTime for video calls with her girlfriend.

From Florence to Madrid, from Roma to London, Linari’s path has been one of courage and constant learning: “One of the most important moments was when I started to play with the women’s team at around 12-13 years old.”

“At 19, I moved out from home and started my adult career. I was pretty happy about that as I started to be more independent from my family.

“Then at 24, moving to Madrid… that was even bigger,” she says, pausing for a moment. “You know, you are very far from all of your family and friends, so it was very hard at that moment at 24 years old.

“At the same time, it was a good time for me to move, and it was my dream to play football abroad and have this kind of experience. I was honoured to wear the Athletico Madrid jersey.

Her eyes light up when she mentions Roma: “Winning with Roma was something unbelievable for me – it wasn’t expected. I signed there to make the project bigger, not expecting to win so fast.”

That same sense of purpose now drives her in London. “This is a dream come true,” she says of joining London City. “We have a lot of young players – we can really reach something great.

"We need to be humble, to work, to focus. We can be a great team in the future – but also in the present.”

Linari enjoys speaking to the younger players: “I want to know how they are and how they see football. I love speaking to Izzy, I’m close to Rofiat too,” she says. “It’s important to know where they come from and their cultures, it gives me more appreciation for what I’m doing.” It’s not performative; it’s genuine curiosity.

Her advice for the younger players and next generation is simple: “Always be yourself. When I was younger, I followed other players and didn’t express myself. I was afraid of what others thought.

"Never be afraid to express how you’re feeling, that’s the most important thing.”

She watches Formula 1 and MotoGP, and admits that The Crown is one of her favourite watches with her sister. “We were addicted to it!” she laughs. When asked what’s next, she mentions travel plans with her girlfriend, maybe Florida, maybe a safari. “I’ve been lucky to see a lot of the world with football,” she says, “but there’s always something new to explore.”

“I would love to go somewhere that I’ve never been before. My girlfriend and I are thinking to go to the USA, to visit the cities there. I’ve visited New York, but not Florida and other places.”

Family, she says, has always grounded her. “My family, especially my dad, helped me a lot. They always pushed me but never obliged me to play football. I was the one who always wanted to play or train when I was with them on holidays.

“They never stopped me to do this, they always say, as long as you are enjoying it, keep doing it, because they want to see you happy.”

“My sister, we are for sure even closer than before, and we have the opportunity to speak more.

"My girlfriend has helped me a lot too, especially with the mental part. She calls me many times and makes me laugh.”

When the conversation turns to music, she mentions two Italian singers: “Olly and Aiello. These two are good! I listen to them in the car and before games. I also love listening to what the girls play in the locker room and the radio, I like to stay updated!”

A warrior of a defender who commands space and intimidates attackers on the pitch, but off it, there's a different side to Linus.

She then says thank you, takes her plate to clear up, and flashes the same smile she did when she walked in the players’ lounge.