Giacomo Raspadori Cavaliere OMRI (born 18 February 2000) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Serie A club Napoli and the Italy national team.

Giacomo Raspadori
Raspadori with Italy in 2021
Personal information
Full name Giacomo Raspadori[1]
Date of birth (2000-02-18) 18 February 2000 (age 24)
Place of birth Bentivoglio, Italy
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
Napoli
Number 81
Youth career
2006–2009 Progresso
2009–2019 Sassuolo
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2023 Sassuolo 76 (18)
2022–2023Napoli (loan) 25 (2)
2023– Napoli 46 (6)
International career
2016–2017 Italy U17 9 (1)
2018–2019 Italy U19 14 (4)
2019 Italy U20 5 (1)
2020–2021 Italy U21 8 (3)
2021– Italy 36 (7)
Medal record
Representing  Italy
UEFA European Championship
Winner 2020 Europe
UEFA Nations League
Third place 2023 Netherlands
CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions
Runner-up 2022 England
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:33, 29 December 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17 November 2024

Club career

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Sassuolo

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Raspadori joined the youth academy of Sassuolo in 2009, after a year with local club Progresso.[2] On 9 August 2018, he signed his first professional contract with Sassuolo for four years.[3] Raspadori made his professional debut with Sassuolo in a 3–1 Serie A defeat to Atalanta on 26 May 2019.[4]

Napoli

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On 20 August 2022, Napoli signed Raspadori on a one-year loan with an obligation to purchase.[5] On 14 September, he scored his first Champions League goal in a 3–0 away win over Rangers.[6] On 4 October, he scored a brace and provided an assist in a 6–1 away win over Ajax.[7] On 12 October, he scored a goal in a 4–2 win over Ajax, in which his club managed to reach the knockout phase.[8]

International career

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Youth

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Raspadori took part in the 2019 UEFA European Under-19 Championship with the Italy U19 squad, scoring one goal in the tournament.[citation needed]

He made his debut with the Italy U21 squad on 3 September 2020, playing against Slovenia in a friendly match. He took part in the 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship where he scored one goal in the group stage phase.[9]

Senior

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In June 2021, Raspadori was called up by coach Roberto Mancini to the final 26-man squad for the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament, despite never having been capped for the Italy senior squad.[10] On 4 June 2021, he debuted for Italy in a friendly win over the Czech Republic, replacing Ciro Immobile in the second half.[11] He made his only appearance of Euro 2020 on 20 June, in Italy's final group match against Wales in Rome, coming on as a second–half substitute for Federico Bernardeschi; the match ended in a 1–0 victory to the Italians, allowing them to top their group,[12] On 11 July, Raspadori won the European Championship with Italy following a 3–2 penalty shoot-out victory over England at Wembley Stadium in the final, after a 1–1 draw in extra time.[13]

On 8 September 2021, Raspadori scored his first goal for the Italy senior national team, making the score 3–0 in an eventual 5–0 home win over Lithuania in a World Cup qualifier; ten minutes before, his off-goal shot also contributed to an own goal from the opposing defender Edgaras Utkus.[14]

In September 2022, he scored the only goal in a 1–0 win over England,[15] then a goal in a 2–0 away win over Hungary, to qualify his country to the 2023 UEFA Nations League Finals.[16]

Style of play

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Raspadori is a quick, diminutive, and agile forward, with a low centre of gravity, who is capable of playing as a second striker, as an out-and-out striker or centre-forward, as an attacking midfielder, and even as a winger in a 4–2–3–1 formation. He has also been deployed as a false 9 on occasion under Italy manager Luciano Spalletti; although seemingly fielded as a centre-forward in this role, he often drops deep to create space for the late runs of his midfield teammates. A two-footed player, who possesses good vision and technical skills, he is capable of both creating and scoring goals. He is also known for his ability to provide depth to his team and either exploit or create space with his runs, although he is also capable of dropping deep and linking-up with midfielders. His playing style has drawn comparisons with Antonio Di Natale and Carlos Tevez, although he has cited Sergio Agüero as one of his major inspirations.[17][18][19][20]

In October 2021, he was described as "Italy's next centre-forward in the making" by Daniele Verri of BBC Sport.[21]

Personal life

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In 2021, he was combining his football career with studying sports science at university.[21]

On 10 May 2024, Giacomo Raspadori and his partner welcomed their daughter Camilla to the world.[22]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played 29 December 2024[23]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Coppa Italia Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Sassuolo 2018–19 Serie A 1 0 1 0
2019–20 Serie A 11 2 2 0 13 2
2020–21 Serie A 27 6 1 0 28 6
2021–22 Serie A 36 10 2 0 38 10
2022–23 Serie A 1 0 1 0 2 0
Total 76 18 6 0 82 18
Napoli (loan) 2022–23 Serie A 25 2 1 0 7[a] 4 33 6
Napoli 2023–24 Serie A 37 5 1 0 8[a] 1 1[b] 0 47 6
2024–25 Serie A 9 1 3 0 12 1
Total 71 8 5 0 15 5 1 0 92 13
Career total 147 26 11 0 15 5 1 0 174 31
  1. ^ a b Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  2. ^ Appearance in Supercoppa Italiana

International

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As of match played 17 November 2024[23]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Italy 2021 7 1
2022 10 4
2023 7 1
2024 12 1
Total 36 7
Italy score listed first, score column indicates score after each Raspadori goal.
List of international goals scored by Giacomo Raspadori
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition Ref.
1 8 September 2021 Mapei Stadium, Reggio Emilia, Italy 5   Lithuania 3–0 5–0 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification [24]
2 29 March 2022 Konya Metropolitan Municipality Stadium, Konya, Turkey 9   Turkey 2–1 3–2 Friendly [25]
3 3–1
4 23 September 2022 San Siro, Milan, Italy 14   England 1–0 1–0 2022–23 UEFA Nations League A [26]
5 26 September 2022 Puskás Aréna, Budapest, Hungary 15   Hungary 1–0 2–0 [27]
6 17 November 2023 Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy 23   North Macedonia 4–2 5–2 UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying [28]
7 6 September 2024 Parc des Princes, Paris, France 31   France 3–1 3–1 2024–25 UEFA Nations League A

Honours

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Napoli

Italy

Individual

Orders

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References

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  1. ^ "Comunicato Ufficiale N. 63" [Official Statement No. 63] (PDF) (in Italian). Lega Serie A. 15 October 2018. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 November 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  2. ^ Boscagli, Gabriele (27 May 2019). "Sapevamo tutti che sarebbe successo: Raspadori esordisce in A".
  3. ^ "Rinnovi contrattuali per Adjapong e Raspadori, prodotti del vivaio neroverde". www.sassuolocalcio.it.[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ "Atalanta vs. Sassuolo - 26 May 2019 - Soccerway". Soccerway.
  5. ^ "Il Napoli ufficializza l'acquisto di Giacomo Raspadori". S.S.C. Napoli (in Italian). 20 August 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  6. ^ "Rangers 0–3 Napoli". UEFA. 14 September 2022.
  7. ^ "Ajax 1–6 Napoli". UEFA. 4 October 2022.
  8. ^ "Napoli beat Ajax to reach Champions League last 16". France24. 12 October 2022.
  9. ^ "Parte l'avventura europea. Ufficializzata la lista dei 23, da domani ritiro a Tirrenia" (in Italian). 24 May 2021.
  10. ^ "26-man squad announcement for the Euros: Giacomo Raspadori makes it". Italian Football Federation. 2 June 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  11. ^ "Esordio Raspadori in Nazionale: entra al 78′ di Italia-Repubblica Ceca". Calcio News 24 (in Italian). 4 June 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  12. ^ "Euro 2020 Italia-Galles 1-0, 5 verità: capolavoro di Mancini. La forza del gruppo e del centrocampo azzurro" (in Italian). Eurosport. 21 June 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  13. ^ a b McNulty, Phil (11 July 2021). "England lose shootout in Euro 2020 final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  14. ^ "Italy-Lithuania". UEFA.com. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  15. ^ "Raspadori gives Italy 1-0 win to relegate stodgy England". Reuters. 23 September 2022.
  16. ^ Steve Douglas (26 September 2022). "Italy advances in Nations League; England, Germany draw 3-3". Associated Press News.
  17. ^ Atturo, Emanuele (1 September 2020). "Raspadori è un centravanti atipico per il calcio italiano" (in Italian). L'Ultimo Uomo. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  18. ^ Riggio, Salvatore (22 April 2021). "Raspadori: ecco chi è il bomber che con 2 gol ha sconfitto il Milan". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  19. ^ Perisse, Marco (18 May 2021). "Chi è Giacomo Raspadori, la novità tra i neo-convocati del ct Roberto Mancini" (in Italian). GQ Italia. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  20. ^ "Italy starting striker: Spalletti has just three options for Euro 2024". Football Italia. 31 March 2024. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  21. ^ a b Verri, Daniele (5 October 2021). "Is Raspadori Italy's next star striker?". BBC Sport.
  22. ^ "È nata Camilla! 🎀 Congratulazioni a mamma Elisa e papà Giacomo!". Twitter. 10 May 2024.
  23. ^ a b Giacomo Raspadori at Soccerway. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  24. ^ "Italy 5–0 Lithuania: Italy make sure of unbeaten record". BBC Sport. 8 September 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  25. ^ "Turkey 2–3 Italy: Giacomo Raspadori scores twice in first win since missing out on World Cup". BBC Sport. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  26. ^ "Italy 1–0 England: Gareth Southgate's side relegated after Nations League defeat". BBC Sport. 23 September 2022. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  27. ^ "Hungary 0–2 Italy: European champions reach Nations League finals at hosts' expense". BBC Sport. 26 September 2022. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  28. ^ "Italy vs. North Macedonia 5 - 2". Soccerway.com. 17 November 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  29. ^ "Napoli win Serie A for first time in 33 years". BBC Sport. 4 May 2023. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  30. ^ "Giacomo Raspadori EA Sports Player of the Month for January". Serie A. 1 February 2022. Archived from the original on 21 April 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  31. ^ "Mattarella ha conferito onorificenze motu proprio ai giocatori e allo staff della Nazionale vincitrice del campionato europeo" (in Italian). quirinale.it. 16 July 2021. Archived from the original on 16 July 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
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