Arianna Caruso Makes History as the First Italian to Play for Real Madrid: Record Transfer

Real Madrid has officially announced the signing of Arianna Caruso, who thus becomes the first Italian female soccer player ever to wear the club’s jersey. This historic move is marked by a four-year contract running through 2030 and an investment exceeding 600,000 euros—a figure that places her among the top 20 most expensive transfers in the history of women’s soccer and the most expensive for an Italian player (surpassing Giulia Dragoni, who moved in recent weeks from Barcelona to Chelsea for approximately 500,000 euros).

Caruso arrives in Madrid after two seasons with Bayern Munich, where she won two league titles, two domestic cups, and two German Super Cups, establishing herself as one of Europe’s most well-rounded midfielders. Before that, she had made her mark on the history of Juventus Women, with whom she played for eight seasons and won thirteen trophies: six league titles, four Super Cups, and three Italian Cups. This journey has led her to earn 72 caps with the national team and become an icon of Italian women’s soccer.

Her transfer also makes its mark on the financial landscape of women’s soccer: the fee paid by Real places it among the twenty most expensive transfers ever, on a list topped by the all-time record set by Grace Geyoro, who moved from PSG to the London City Lionesses in the summer of 2025 for 1.65 million euros. This context illustrates just how much the sport is growing and how the value of top players is now recognized globally.

Caruso, who came up through Res Roma and came of age at Juventus, is now joining an iconic club that is striving to build something significant in women’s soccer as well. A new phase of her career is beginning: her goal is to help Real challenge the dominance of Barcelona, the champion in the last seven editions of the Spanish league, the last four of which they won ahead of the Merengues.