Natalia Negri is one of the key reasons Ipswich Town are playing in the WSL 2 this season. The goalkeeper was imperious last campaign on her way to winning the division’s golden glove award, keeping a whopping 14 clean sheets.
That all led to a special end of season at Portman Road. “We didn’t know he was coming in and then I’m walking around the pitch at the end, and my manager goes to me, you’re about to meet Ed Sheeran” Negri tells me reflecting on a heady day last April.
That was the day Ipswich got a record crowd of over 10,000 fans and the Tractor Girls celebrated victory with the global superstar musician.
Negri will be hoping that she can make it back to back promotions with Ipswich, and the charismatic goalkeeper sat down with The Halfway Line ahead of the new season.
Negri ‘excited’ for WSL 2 challenge
Life in the WSL 2 is not new to Natalia Negri. Just a couple of season ago she was promoted from the division, playing eight WSL 2 matches with Crystal Palace. But what are the expectations she has for the WSL 2 this time around?
“I think I’m going to be possibly be a lot more busy in games than I was last year” Negri smiles.
“I think as a group, we’re really excited. I mean, it’s definitely going to be a new challenge, but it’s nothing that we’re not prepared for.
“I think coming in, the girls have been pushing on the WSL 2 door for a while now, so I think to finally get there is a real nice feeling for everyone.”
‘You’re about to meet Ed Sheeran’
Dressing room celebrations with Ed!🤩 pic.twitter.com/UP8hbB2QaJ
— Ipswich Town F(C) Women (@ITFCWomen) March 23, 2025
“That day was the best day of my life” Negri tells me, before a mischievous smile begins to stretch across her face, “I now think me and Ed Sheeran are best friends and I’ve only met him twice” Negri laughs.
The 3-1 victory over Plymouth meant Ipswich went four points clear at the top of the table before an 8-0 victory the following week secured promotion to the WSL 2.
“That was the best day. I mean, [for] all the girls. Our song is now castle on the hill, because we can’t stop singing it!
“So we’re gonna bring it into this year, and hopefully it’s gonna carry a bit of good luck in with us.
“We didn’t know he [Ed Sheeran] was coming in. And then I’m walking around the pitch at the end, and my manager goes to me, you’re about to meet Ed Sheeran.
“Honestly, I could not think of anything else! Like I couldn’t even go over to my family because I was so excited.
“I ran into the changing room [and] he walks in, and you know when someone just doesn’t look real. Because, like, you’ve never seen them before, he didn’t look real! But it was unbelievable, the best day of my life.”
‘I just knew I was going to save them’ Negri on her shootout heroics
Another memorable moment in the Tractor Girls’ season came in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup. Ipswich faced Hashtag United in what would turn out to be one of the matches of the tournament.
“That game was a whirlwind of emotions actually” Negri reflects.
“It was quite a windy day. I remember it was one of the worst conditions I’ve ever played in.
“The game just went their way, then our way, then their way, then our way. And obviously, then it got taken to penalties.”
Negri saved a number of penalties in the shootout to ensure her side’s progress to the next round.
“And during the game I kind of just got an idea that it was going to penalties, and for some reason, I just knew I was going to save them” she explained.
“It was probably one of the best feelings I’ve had with the group. Especially being a new player, it was quite nice to kind of put that name down for myself.
“To be like, okay, well, I’ll be there if you need me! But, yeah, it was really nice.”
FA Cup tie against Manchester City was ‘a great benchmark’
The FA Cup adventure did not end against Hashtag United, it would take Negri and Ipswich all the way to an away trip to Manchester. As the newly promoted side faced former winners of the competition Manchester City.
“I think playing City was a great level, just to see where we had come” Negri asserted.
“Because, I mean, I think the girls played them about 10 years ago, and to see how far we’ve come in 10 years was was massive.” Negri was referring to City’s 10-0 victory over Ipswich in a previous competition this time the score was just 3-0.
“I think it’s great even playing championship teams now, like we’ll see the level step up once again and hopefully if we draw any WSL teams [in the cups] then we’ll see it again.
“But no, that game against city was a really good benchmark for us to really push ourselves to a different type of intensity.”
‘No, England need to win’ no divided loyalties for Negri
The Ipswich Town shot stopper is English but she also has Spanish and Italian heritage. Yes, that’s three out of the four EURO 2025 semi finalists. The Halfway Line asked Negri if there were any conflicting loyalties in the Negri household this summer.
“It actually was a weird one. It was a weird one a few years ago when the men had Italy in the final.” Negri explained.
“Because my dad’s Italian, obviously he wants England to win, but it was kind of a conflicted household then but the Euros was more so my Nan.
“My nan kept putting in the group chat, like, it doesn’t matter who wins, it’s just taking part of that counts! And I was like, no, England need to win.” Negri laughed.
‘Our fans are unbelievable’ lauds Ipswich number one
This season Ipswich took the seismic step to move home ground. They have left the lower capacity Felixstowe and moved into the larger Colchester Community Stadium.
Negri told us what she felt about the move to Colchester.
“We’ve actually not been there yet, but I do drive past it quite a lot when I drive up to Ipswich [and] it looks like a great stadium.
“I think it’s going to be a pitch that we’re going to suit very well [like] when we play at Portman Road it’s lovely surface, and I think Colchester isn’t too different.
“We’ve got a great fan base that I know will travel, even though it is in a different county, I know that they will travel to come see us, which will be a great feeling.”
Negri even after just one year at the club clearly has a special relationship with the fans.
“Our fans are unbelievable” Negri beamed.
“Like, when we played at Portman Road we got over 10,000 and I know that will just carry on growing. As a town as a whole we get very supported by everyone. It’s not just the men’s side, but I think we get back just as much as them, which is lovely.
“But no, I think when we go to Colchester, it won’t be any different to what we get at Felixstowe each week, we get an amazing crowd at Felixstowe.
“So whether or not it’s pre season or last game of the season when we’re about to lift the trophy. I know our support will be there wherever we go.”
