Caprile gets first Italy call-up: “Buffon my idol, Napoli exit needed” | OneFootball

For Elia Caprile, the moment every footballer dreams of since childhood has arrived: the first call-up to the senior National Team. The former Napoli goalkeeper, now making headlines with Cagliari, shared all his excitement with Vivo Azzurro TV, the official channel of the FIGC.

Napoli, former player Caprile: “I needed space, without playing I suffer”

“Gigi Buffon made me fall in love with the role, the gloves, and the responsibilities,” Caprile recounted, not hiding his emotion for the milestone achieved. “Being here is the fulfillment of a dream I've nurtured since I was little, but I consider it a starting point, not an endpoint. I got here thanks to sacrifices and daily work. I didn’t expect the call-up: it was a wonderful surprise, and the first person I told was my girlfriend.”

The goalkeeper, born in 2001, gratefully recalled the key stages of his career: “The experience in England changed me, opened my mind, and forced me to adapt to new challenges, even linguistic ones. I thank all the coaches who shaped me: Nicola, Conte, Pisacane, and I don’t forget Bielsa, with whom I experienced my first call-up to the Premier League.”

Caprile then dedicated a thought to his family: “Without my parents, I wouldn’t be the person or the goalkeeper I am today. They have always supported me, even in difficult times.”

Finally, the former Napoli player explained the reasons for his departure from the Azzurri club: “I train to play. If I don’t have the game, I suffer. In Napoli, I didn’t see space for myself, and I decided to leave to grow. I am happy with the choice: in Cagliari, I feel appreciated, but I know I still have a long way to go and much to learn.”

Andrea Alati

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.