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Pipitone, 33, only recently forced her way into the reckoning with the Azzurre - earning her first competitive cap for her country during the qualification phase for this year's Women's World Cup.
Now, suddenly, she finds herself enjoying a World Cup adventure with her country - an experience she admits she had thought was always going to elude her.
"To be called up at 32 was incredible, a dream come true after I'd stopped believing it could even happen," Pipitone said.
"You could say that I thought the train had left the station but, at the last possible stop, I was able to get on.
"And now it is a train that has taken us to a first World Cup in 20 years - one we qualified for in amazing fashion, and one we've started well in too. It's amazing."
Italy have won both of their opening group games in France, and are already assured of a spot in the knockout rounds of the competition.
Giallorosse teammates Elisa Bartoli and Annamaria Serturini are also part of the squad.
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