This article is part of the Guardian’s 2019 Women’s World Cup Experts’ Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 24 countries who have qualified for France. theguardian.com is running previews from two countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 7 June. Overview Le Azzurre qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 20 years and managed to do so only seven months after the men’s team failed to qualify for Russia 2018. The achievement could start a new era for women’s football in Italy. Last March, Juventus Women played for the first time at the club’s Allianz Stadium against second-placed Fiorentina in front of a crowd of 39,027. The previous record attendance for a women’s club match in the country was set in 2008, when Bardolino and Frankfurt played in front of 14,000 spectators. Sky Sports in Italy has secured (non-exclusive) rights to broadcast the World Cup and players such as Sara Gama, Barbara Bonansea and Cristiana Girelli are becoming increasingly popular with football fans. Italy won their qualifying group and conceded only four goals in eight games, with two of those coming in the final game against…