Lorenzo Carfora

Lorenzo Carfora
Personal information
Date of birth (2006-01-11) 11 January 2006 (age 19)
Place of birth Naples, Italy[1]
Height 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in)
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Benevento
Number 30
Youth career
A.S.D. Quartieri Giovanili
–2020 Portici
2020–2023 Benevento
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023– Benevento 18 (1)
International career‡
2022– Italy U17 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:00, 5 May 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:00, 1 December 2022 (UTC)

Lorenzo Carfora (born 11 January 2006) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Serie C Group C club Benevento.

Club career

Born in Naples[2] and raised in San Giorgio a Cremano,[3][4] Carfora played for grassroots club A.S.D. Quartieri Giovanili and Portici before joining Benevento's youth academy in the summer of 2020.[5][6]

During the 2022–23 season, following his performances for the under-17 team,[7][8] as well an injury crisis within the first team,[7] Carfora was promoted to Benevento's senior squad under head coach Roberto Stellone.[7][8] On 1 March 2023, he made his professional debut, coming on as a substitute for Daam Foulon at half-time of a 0–2 league defeat to Südtirol.[9][10] At 17 years and 53 days, he became the club's second youngest player to ever feature in a Serie B match, behind only Siriki Sanogo; he also became the first player born in 2006 to feature in the Italian second tier.[11] In March 2023, he took part in the Viareggio Cup with Benevento's under-19 squad.[12][13]

On 1 April 2023, Carfora made his first start in a 2–0 league defeat to Bari.[14][15] In the process, he became the first 2006-born player to start a game in any Italian professional league.[2] He went on to be a part of the team that suffered relegation to Serie C at the end of the season.[2][16] In July 2023, he agreed to his first professional contract with Benevento, signing a three-year deal.[17][18]

International career

Carfora has represented Italy at youth international level: after taking part in a training camp with the Italian under-17 national team in November 2022,[19] he made his debut for the side in December of the same year.[20][21]

Style of play

Carfora is an attacking midfielder,[2][8] who can also play as a winger, a second striker or a mezzala.[3][6]

An ambidextrous and tactically intelligent player,[2] he has been regarded for his technical skills, his balance, his work rate and his creativity.[3][6] He has been compared to Tommaso Baldanzi.[2]

Career statistics

Club

As of 6 May 2023[22]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Benevento 2022–23 Serie B 8 0 0 0 0 0 8 0
Career total 8 0 0 0 0 0 8 0

References

  1. ^ "CARFORA LORENZO - Under 17". Benevento Calcio. Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Mongiardo, Emanuele (12 July 2023). "La migliore promessa del calcio italiano che ancora non conoscete". L'Ultimo Uomo (in Italian). Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  3. ^ a b c "Lorenzo Carfora: una speciale giovane promessa". Serie B (in Italian). 29 March 2023. Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  4. ^ Festa, Marco (31 March 2023). "Benevento, alla scoperta di Carfora: dall'Under 17 alle prime partite in B". Gianluca Di Marzio (in Italian). Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  5. ^ "Un gioiellino della "cantera" Portici al Benevento. Blitz dei sanniti, superate Napoli, Spal e Cavese". Il Resto del Calcio (in Italian). 15 July 2020. Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  6. ^ a b c Nalesso, Pietro (12 April 2023). "[FOCUS] Benevento, Lorenzo Carfora è il seme per il futuro". MondoPrimavera (in Italian). Archived from the original on 20 May 2023. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  7. ^ a b c Trusio, Luigi (26 February 2023). "Benevento, Stellone: "Niente cali di tensione contro l'Ascoli"". Il Mattino (in Italian). Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  8. ^ a b c Manfredini, Stefano (7 April 2023). "Per Benevento e Spal la speranza sono i giovani". Il Resto del Carlino (in Italian). Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  9. ^ Tretola, Oreste (1 March 2023). "Benevento-Sudtirol 0-2, è di nuovo crisi". Il Mattino (in Italian). Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  10. ^ "Benevento vs. Südtirol - 1 March 2023". Soccerway. Archived from the original on 10 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  11. ^ Maschio, Tommaso (2 March 2023). "Carfora a un soffio da un record storico del Benevento. Ma è il primo 2006 in Serie B". TUTTOmercatoWEB.com (in Italian). Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  12. ^ "Viareggio Cup, Westchester United-Benevento 2-10: Ciprio e Rossi show, le streghe strapazzano gli americani". MondoPrimavera (in Italian). 22 March 2023. Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  13. ^ "Benevento". Viareggio Cup (in Italian). 24 March 2023. Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  14. ^ "Il Bari riparte con Antenucci-Folorunsho, è terzo. Il Frosinone rallenta". Corriere dello Sport (in Italian). 1 April 2023. Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  15. ^ Maschio, Tommaso (3 April 2023). "Benevento, Carfora brucia Pafundi: è lui il primo 2006 titolare nel calcio italiano". TUTTOmercatoweb.com (in Italian). Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  16. ^ Schirru, Francesco (13 May 2023). "Benevento in Serie C: dal sogno Serie A all'incubo retrocessione". Goal.com (in Italian). Archived from the original on 12 June 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  17. ^ "LORENZO CARFORA: PRIMO CONTRATTO DA PROFESSIONISTA". Benevento Calcio (in Italian). 11 July 2023. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  18. ^ Maschio, Tommaso (11 July 2023). "UFFICIALE: Doppio rinnovo in Benevento, Carfora e Talia blindati dai giallorossi". TUTTOmercatoWEB.com (in Italian). Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  19. ^ "Dall'11 al 13 novembre a Novarello il Torneo dei Gironi, convocati 60 calciatori classe 2006". FIGC (in Italian). 8 November 2022. Archived from the original on 8 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  20. ^ "L'Italia vince anche la seconda amichevole con l'Ungheria grazie alla rete di Finocchiaro". FIGC (in Italian). 1 December 2022. Archived from the original on 25 March 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  21. ^ "Hungary - Italy 0:1 (U17 Friendlies 2022, December)". Worldfootball.net. Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  22. ^ Lorenzo Carfora at Soccerway