Quick Facts
Biography
Gianluca Lapadula (born 7 February 1990) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Milan.
Early life
Lapadula was born in Turin, to an Italian father from the region of Apulia and a Peruvian mother. He has a brother named David who was also a forward, in the lower amateur leagues.
He is nicknamed Lapagol, due to his goalscoring prowess, and Sir William (in reference to William Wallace) for his strong temperament.
Club career
Early career
Lapadula began his career with Juventus before releasing in 2004 because he wasn't doing well in his studies. After that he moved to Rivoli, then left on loan to Treviso in 2006. He returned to Piedmont for Serie C2 side Pro Vercelli from Filadelfia Paradiso Calcio on 31 August 2007. He was a player of the reserve. In 2008–09 season, he left for Lega Pro Seconda Divisione (ex–Serie C2) side Ivrea, and was selected to the Lega Pro 2nd Div. A representative team for Lega Pro Quadrangular Tournament and scored a goal against 2nd Div. C representative team in the third place match. Eventually, Group A finished as the third. In August 2009 he was signed by Parma and spent one season with the Primavera reserve team. In July 2010 left for Atletico Roma.
Loans to Atletico Roma and Cesena
He made his debut for Atletico Roma on 8 August 2010, in the Coppa Italia preliminary round, lost in extra time (1–2). In January 2011, Lapadula left for Ravenna. He concluded the 2011–12 season as the topscorer in Group A with 24 goals.
On 15 June 2012 Lapadula joined Serie B club Cesena in co-ownership, signing a five-year contract. Lapadula failed to play regularly for Cesena, and on 8 January 2013 he was signed by Frosinone. In July 2013 the co-ownership between Cesena and Parma was resolved, and Lapadula returned to Parma.
Loans to Gorica and Teramo
He was loaned to Slovenian club ND Gorica on 1 July, along with Bright Addae, Daniele Bazzoffia, Uroš Celcer, Massimo Coda, Alex Cordaz, Sebestyén Ihrig-Farkas, Alen Jogan, Floriano Vanzo and Fabio Lebran. The deals were finalised on 12 July.
In July 2014 he was loaned to Teramo, where he scored 21 goals and helped the club achieve promotion to Serie B, then cancelled in August 2015 by the final judgment of the Italian Football Federation, due to match-fixing on the part of the President of Teramo, Luciano Campitellii, in the penultimate round of the league in the match against Savona.
Pescara
After the bankruptcy of Parma he was released on a free transfer, and in July 2015 he was signed by Pescara in Serie B on a four-year contract. In the 2015–16 season he scored 30 goals in 43 appearances (including three goals in as many appearances in the playoffs), without scoring any penalties, earning the honour of top scorer in the Italian second division.
Milan
On 24 June 2016 he sustained his medical test with A.C. Milan, who reportedly paid Pescara €9 million plus bonus for the transfer, while the player signed a five-year deal worth €1 million per season. He made his debut for Milan on 27 August 2016, coming on as an 86th-minute substitute during a 4–2 loss away against Napoli in Serie A. He scored his first goal for Milan and in Serie A on 6 November 2016 in the 2–1 away victory against Palermo, three minutes after coming on as a substitute for Carlos Bacca.
On November 26, 2016, Lapadula scored his first brace in Serie A in a 1-4 away victory against Empoli.
International career
Due to his family heritage Lapadula is eligible to play for Italy and Peru. He had received a call-up by Peru for the Copa América Centenario but had not officially decided which international side to represent. On 7 November 2016, he was called up to Italy senior squad for the first time for 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualification match against Liechtenstein and friendly match against Germany, replacing the injured Napoli forward Manolo Gabbiadini.
Style of play
A dynamic forward, Lapadula is a tenacious and physically strong striker; due to his versatility, he can play as a centre-forward, and can also adapt to more creative roles, as a second striker, or winger on either flank, courtesy of his ability to both score and assist goals. An uncommonly accurate and powerful finisher, he also has a strong left foot, and an eye for goal.
Career statistics
Club
- As of 21 January 2017
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Atletico Roma (loan) | 2010–11 | Serie C1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Ravenna (loan) | 2010–11 | Serie C1 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | |
| San Marino (loan) | 2011–12 | Serie C2 | 35 | 24 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 35 | 24 | |
| Cesena | 2012–13 | Serie B | 9 | 0 | 2 | 1 | – | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 | |
| Frosinone (loan) | 2012–13 | Serie C1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
| Gorica (loan) | 2013–14 | 1. SNL | 28 | 11 | 4 | 3 | – | 0 | 0 | 32 | 14 | |
| Teramo (loan) | 2014–15 | Lega Pro | 38 | 21 | 1 | 2 | – | 2 | 1 | 41 | 24 | |
| Pescara | 2015–16 | Serie B | 40 | 27 | 2 | 0 | – | 4 | 3 | 46 | 30 | |
| Milan | 2016–17 | Serie A | 13 | 4 | 1 | 0 | – | 1 | 0 | 15 | 4 | |
| Career total | 176 | 88 | 11 | 6 | — | 7 | 4 | 194 | 98 | |||
Honours
Club
- Gorica
- Slovenian Football Cup: 2013–14
- Milan
- Supercoppa Italiana: 2016
Individual
- Lega Pro top scorer: 2014–15 (Group A, 24 goals)
- Serie B top scorer: 2015–16 (27 goals)
- Gran Galà Top 11 Serie B: 2015–16
- "Italy – Serie B Top Scorers". rsssf.com. RSSSF. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
- http://sport.sky.it/sport/calcio_italiano/photogallery/2016/05/14/serie-b-2015-2016-top-11-campionato-gran-gala.html