A-League star Annalise Rasmussen is leaving the Central Coast for Europe to play for Italian giant Juventus.
The 20-year-old striker is joining the women’s team in the Serie A and UEFA Women’s Champions League after signing a deal with the club that will take her through until June 2028.
Rasmussen has scored 11 goals from 14 matches and sits equal top of the Golden Boot standings in the league this season.
She said Juventus reached out just last week.
Annalise Rasmussen is the first Australian player to sign with Juventus. (Supplied: Juventus)
“We talked Wednesday, Thursday and then I signed on Friday,” Rasmussen said.
“When a big club comes like that, you can’t really say no.“
Signed by the Mariners’ Academy at age 11, Rasmussen rose through the ranks to become the first player on the club’s roster when it re-entered the women’s A-League in the 2023-24 competition.
Less than two years later, she was an integral part of the Mariners’ grand final win over Melbourne Victory.
“The grand final is a big stand-out, just to do it with the team we had and the challenges we had throughout that year … it was something really special,” Rasmussen said.
“But another big moment is my debut … that first away game against the Newcastle Jets is something I’ll never forget.”
Annalise Rasmussen scored 20 goals from 62 appearances for the Mariners. (ABC Central Coast: Shauna Foley)
After almost a decade with the Mariners, she admitted it was emotional to be saying goodbye.
“I had my mind set on staying at the club and maybe venturing off at the end of the season,” Rasmussen said.
“I was super keen to stay and finish here in the A-League but … these aren’t clubs that come calling every day.”
Central Coast pipeline
The Central Coast Mariners club has a history of players attracting the attention of European football clubs.
In recent years, Lewis Miller, Alou Kuol and Kye Rowles have all said goodbye to their coastal lifestyle to play in European leagues.
Former Mariners coach Nick Montgomery became an assistant coach at Tottenham Hotspur.
Mariners sporting director Matt Simon said seeing Rasmussen take her next opportunity was a proud moment.
Annalise Rasmussen rose through the ranks of the Mariners’ Academy after signing at age 11. (Supplied: Annalise Rasmussen)
“Our commitment to developing the next generation of Australian footballers is unwavering,” he said.
“It’s opportunities like this that continue to drive us at the club to produce first-class footballers, but more importantly, top-class people to represent the Mariners in our academy, first teams and on the international stage.
“We have no doubt that Annalise will make everyone proud during her time abroad and wish her the best of luck in her next chapter as a footballer.“
The signing is an endorsement for the embattled Mariners, with the club and its academy being managed by the Australian Professional League until a new long-term owner can be found.
Mixing it with the best
With a big future ahead of her, Rasmussen plans to hold onto the Juventus opportunity with both hands.
“It’s a big club, real professionalism and you can see why they do really well,” she said.
“I go in with the expectation of just wanting to learn and grow.
“Some of the players there are world-class and are very well known, so I’ll just be trying to learn off them and the coaches there.”
In a statement, Juventus had high praise for its incoming player.
“Annalise represents the prototype of the modern footballer: physicality, spirit of sacrifice and a nose for goal that made her a crucial player at her former club.“
While she has her sights set on matching it with the best at Juventus for now, Rasmussen hopes to return to Australia to line up in the green and gold.
“The Matildas is something I always wanted to achieve and obviously, with the Asian Cup coming up, it’s something that’s been in the back of my mind,” she said.
