Düsseldorf – Riccardo Petrilli, an athlete from Ancona playing for the GLS Dolphins, is leading the Italian national flag football team - and his hometown - to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. This remarkable milestone was achieved just a few days ago in Düsseldorf during the World Championship. Italy advanced through the group stage by defeating Great Britain, Panama, and France, knocked out Germany in the quarterfinals, and beat Canada in the semifinals. In doing so, the team reached its first-ever World Championship final, which also guaranteed a spot in the Olympic Games where flag football will make its official debut. The Italian team secured second place, taking silver after a final match against the gold-winning US team.
In 2021, Petrilli played a starring role in Jerusalem’s World Championship, leading the national team to the World Games in Alabama (USA), where the Azzurri earned silver in the final against the United States. In 2025, he became a European champion after beating Austria. His success stems from the strong program developed by Dolphins Ancona, a club that also celebrated European victory in 2026 with its Under-17 women’s team.