New Delhi [India], January 25 (ANI): The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has appointed Pamela Conti as the head coach of the Indian U17 women's national team, according to a release.

The 43-year-old Italian has joined the Indian U17 women's training camp in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, where the Young Tigresses are preparing for the AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup China 2026, scheduled to start in April. As part of Conti's support staff, assistant coach Vincenzo Conti, who is her brother, will also join the India U17 women's team. Nivetha Ramadoss will continue in the role of assistant coach as well.

Conti's first official assignment will be the SAFF U19 Women's Championship 2026 that will take place in Pokhara, Nepal, from January 31 to February 7. India will participate in the tournament with their U17 squad, consisting of players born on or after 2009.

A former Italy international midfielder, Conti brings with her a wealth of experience at both the elite playing and international coaching levels. During a distinguished playing career, she earned 90 caps and scored 30 goals for the Italy women's national team, representing her country at the highest levels of European football, including the 2005 and 2009 UEFA European Women's Championship. She also enjoyed an extensive club career across Italy (Sassari Torres), Spain (Levante and Espanyol), Sweden (Eskilstuna United), Russia (Energy Voronezh and Zorky Krasnogorsk) and the United States (Buffalo Flash), winning multiple domestic league titles and cup competitions.

Conti began her coaching career in 2018 with the Atletico de Madrid Femenino U16 team in Spain. In 2019, she took up the Venezuelan senior and U20 women's national team job, where she remained for five years. Conti guided Venezuela to their second-ever FIFA U20 Women's World Cup qualification in 2024. The South American nation came close to qualifying for their maiden FIFA Women's World Cup under her stewardship, but narrowly missed out on a play-off tournament berth on penalties in 2022.

In 2021, India played against Venezuela in the Torneio Internacional de Manaus de Futebol Feminino in Brazil, but Conti was absent from the dugout due to a positive COVID-19 test. Her assistant Vincenzo deputised for her, overseeing La Vinotinto's 2-1 victory over the Blue Tigresses.

Vincenzo is also a former player and served as Conti's assistant coach in the Venezuelan senior and U20 women's teams. He was also the head coach of their U17 women's team in the South American U17 Women's Championship 2024. (ANI)