Nicolao Dumitru

Nicolao Dumitru

Personal information
Full name	Nicolao Manuel Dumitru Cardoso
Date of birth	(1991-10-12) 12 October 1991
Place of birth	Nacka, Sweden
Height
Position(s)	Striker
Team information
Current team	Latina (on loan from Napoli)
Number	25
Youth career
2005–2010	Empoli
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2008–2010	Empoli	2	(0)
2010–	Napoli	9	(0)
2011–2012	→ Empoli (loan)	25	(4)
2012–2013	→ Ternana (loan)	15	(1)
2013–2014	→ Cittadella (loan)	18	(1)
2014	→ Reggina (loan)	13	(2)
2014–2015	→ Veria (loan)	25	(6)
2015–	→ Latina (loan)	0	(0)
International career‡
2009–2010	Italy U-19	10	(1)
2010–2011	Italy U-20	9	(2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 April 2015 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17 July 2011

Nicolao Manuel Dumitru Cardoso (born 12 October 1991) is an Italian footballer who plays for Serie B side Latina on loan from Serie A club Napoli.

Club career

Dumitru started his professional career at Empoli, in a match during the 2008–09 season in Serie B. He also played another game in the following season, still at Serie B level.

Napoli

On 31 August 2010, he was signed by Serie A club S.S.C. Napoli at age 18 and 11 months. He failed to break into the first team during his period at Napoli, making only nine Serie A appearances at the club. Dumitru also played a few games for the reserve.

Return to Empoli

On 20 July 2011, it was announced Dumitru would return to Empoli in Serie B for the 2011–12 season on a one-year loan basis. On 27 August he scored on his debut, in the first match of the league, against Juve Stabia.

Italian loan spell

On 23 July 2012, Dumitru joined Serie B club Ternana on a season-long loan deal until the end of the 2012–13 season. On 31 January 2013 the loan was terminated. Dumitru joined Citadella on a temporary deal the same day. He joined Reggina on loan for the 2013–14 season.

Veria

On 13 August 2014, Greek club Veria announced the loan signing of Dumitru from Napoli on a one-year deal. He debuted on 24 August 2014 in the season's premiere home match against Skoda Xanthi where he scored his first goal. Dumitru scored his second goal on 13 September 2014 against Kerkyra. He was the victim of a racial attack by Horacio Cardozo. The incident was reported by Veria's squad and Cardozo was invited by the HFF (the Greek FA) to further give an explanation of the incident that took place. The HFF found Cardozo not guilty due to the lack of strong evidence. Nicolao was twice nominated for the Best Goal award for the goals that he scored on the first matchday as well as on the third, and he was named the winner for his second goal in the championship. He also scored twice in his 2014–15 Greek Cup debut in home 4–1 victory against Ermionida. He is currently Veria's top scorer as he scored 4 goals in 5 matches, in all competitions. Dumitru got his first assist with Veria against PAS Giannina where Nikos Kaltsas scored. Nicolao scored his third championship goal in a home victory against Levadiakos during Superleague's seventh matchday.

International career

With the Italy U-19 national team in 2010, he took part in the U-19 European Championship. He was also a member of the Italy U-20 national team.

Personal life

Dumitru was born in Nacka, Sweden to a Romanian father (who later took Italian citizenship) and an Afro-Brazilian mother, and successively moved to Empoli, Tuscany in 1998 with his parents.