Elia Caprile (born 25 August 2001) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Serie A club Napoli.[1]

Elia Caprile
Personal information
Date of birth (2001-08-25) 25 August 2001 (age 23)
Place of birth Verona, Italy
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
Napoli
Number 25
Youth career
0000–2020 Chievo
2020–2022 Leeds United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2020 Chievo 0 (0)
2020–2022 Leeds United 0 (0)
2021–2022Pro Patria (loan) 38 (0)
2022–2023 Bari 41 (0)
2023– Napoli 4 (0)
2023–2024Empoli (loan) 23 (0)
International career
2022–2023 Italy U21 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 October 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 24 March 2023

Club career

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Born in Verona, of neapolitan origins on his father's side[2] and raised in the near comune of San Zeno di Montagna, Caprile started playing football at the local grassroots club Cadore before joining Chievo’s youth system.[3] After coming through the various ranks, he was promoted to the first team in 2018, although he never made any senior appearances for the club.[3][4]

After rejecting an official contract offer from Chievo,[3] on 21 January 2020, Caprile joined English club Leeds United, signing a deal until June 2023.[5] During his stint in Yorkshire, the goalkeeper mainly featured for the club's under-23 side and received several call-ups to the first team under manager Marcelo Bielsa, despite not having collected any official appearances.[3]

On 7 August 2021, Caprile joined Serie C club Pro Patria on a season-long loan.[6] He subsequently made his professional debut on 29 August 2021, starting the league match against AlbinoLeffe.[7] During the season, he established himself as the team's first-choice goalkeeper, keeping a total amount of 12 clean sheets in 39 appearances, as Pro Patria reached the second round of the play-offs before losing to Triestina.[3]

On 13 July 2022, it was announced that Caprile had completed a transfer to Serie B club Bari, signing a three-year deal with the club in the process.[8][9] He finished the season as one of the best goalkeeper of the league, with 14 clean sheets and losing the promotion at the minute 95 in the playoff final against Cagliari.

On 24 July 2023, Caprile officially joined Serie A club Napoli on a permanent deal,[10][11] and was immediately loaned for one season to fellow top-flight side Empoli.[11][12] He made his debut for the club on 12 August 2023, starting in a 2–1 Coppa Italia loss to Cittadella.[13] He then made his league debut one week later, starting in a 0–1 defeat to Hellas Verona.[14]

International career

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Caprile has represented Italy at youth international level, having featured for the under-18 national team in 2019.[4][15]

Career statistics

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As of match played 20 October 2024[16]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Chievo 2018–19 Serie B 0 0 0 0 0 0
2019–20 Serie B 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Leeds United 2019–20 Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2020–21 Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Pro Patria (loan) 2021–22 Serie C 36 0 1 0 2[a] 0 39 0
Bari 2022–23 Serie B 37 0 2 0 4[b] 0 43 0
Napoli 2023–24 Serie A 0 0 0 0
2024–25 Serie A 4 0 1 0 5 0
Total 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 5 0
Empoli (loan) 2023–24 Serie A 23 0 1 0 24 0
Career total 104 0 5 0 0 0 6 0 115 0
  1. ^ Appearances in Serie C promotion play-offs
  2. ^ Appearances in Serie B promotion play-offs

References

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  1. ^ Elia Caprile at Soccerway
  2. ^ "Il papà napoletano, il mito di Buffon e i consigli di Bielsa: chi è Caprile, un Gen Z per sbaglio" (in Italian). 24 July 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Elia Caprile: "Io, Bielsa, Buffon e il Leeds. Sogno il Napoli per papà"". Cronache di spogliatoio (in Italian). 6 May 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Who is goalkeeper Elia Caprile? Leeds United's first winter signing profiled as Chievo Verona stopper joins". www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  5. ^ "Whites complete Elia Caprile signing". www.leedsunited.com. 21 January 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  6. ^ "Elia Caprile completes loan move". www.leedsunited.com. 7 August 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  7. ^ "Pro Patria vs. AlbinoLeffe - 29 August 2021 - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  8. ^ "Elia Caprile makes S.S.C. Bari transfer". Leeds United F.C. 13 July 2022. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  9. ^ "Benvenuto Elia Caprile!". SSC Bari (in Italian). 13 July 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
  10. ^ Marra, Bruno (24 July 2023). "Il Napoli ufficializza l'acquisto di Caprile. Il portiere trasferito in prestito all'Empoli". SSC Napoli (in Italian). Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  11. ^ a b "Napoli, ufficiale l'arrivo di Caprile: andrà in prestito all'Empoli". Corriere dello Sport (in Italian). 24 July 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  12. ^ "Elia Caprile è un nuovo calciatore azzurro". Empoli FC (in Italian). 24 July 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  13. ^ Barni, Gianluca (12 August 2023). "Coppa Italia, il Cittadella in rimonta elimina l'Empoli: 1-2". La Nazione (in Italian). Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  14. ^ "Empoli-Verona 0-1, Bonazzoli lascia subito il segno". la Repubblica (in Italian). 19 August 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  15. ^ "Azzurrini sconfitti dalla Francia, finisce 3-0 l'amichevole di Clairefontaine". Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio (in Italian). 20 February 2019. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
  16. ^ "E. Caprile". Soccerway. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
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