Uganda center back Elio Capradossi has signed for Italian Serie B club AC Citadella on a free transfer.The 28 year old has signed a deal until the end of the current season. He has been a free agent since the end of his short spell at AC Lecco earlier this year,which followed the dissolution of his contract at Serie A side Cagliari in January.
The former Italy youth international has spent the entirety of his career in his fatherland,having come up through Serie A heavyweights AS Roma’s academy to make his debut for the senior side on 6th May 2018.He has also played for Bari,SPAL and Spezia.
He is able to play for Uganda due to having been born in Kampala to an Italian father and a Congolese mother.He has been capped by Italy at Under 16,Under 17,Under 18,Under 19,Under 20 and Under 21 level.
His time in the Italy set up peaked at Under 17 level,where he made history,scoring in Italy’s 2-0 semi final victory over Slovakia at the 2013 UEFA European Under 17 Championship,helping the young Azzuri reach the first final in their history,although they would go on to lose to Russia on penalties following a goalless draw.He did score his penalty,though,putting away the fourth spot kick to make it 2-2 in the shootout.
Capradossi had also found the net against the Russians in the group stage,cancelling out Aleksei Gasilin’s twelfth minute opener for the eventual champions on the edge of halftime to earn the Italians a 1-1 draw and secure progress to the semis.
He also featured for Italy at the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup,where they were knocked out by Mexico in the Round of 16.
The center back earned his first cap for Uganda in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Botswana at Namboole in July this year.His debut was an impressive one,as he displayed poise,assuredness and confidence that endeared him to fans instantly.
His unruffled reading of the game coupled with his adventurous forays forward with the ball at his feet caught the eye,and many expressed both surprise that Uganda had added such a polished defender to its ranks and hope that he could become an important part of the bedrock for the new era of the national team.
He subsequently played against Algeria in another World Cup qualifier,before also starting against South Africa and Congo in qualifiers for the 2025 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations.
He was then somewhat surprisingly dropped for Halidi Lwaliwa for the double header against South Sudan,perhaps due to head coach Paul Put having concerns over his form and match fitness,due to Capradossi not playing any club football following the end of his spell with Lecco.
Capradossi will therefore hoping to impress by not only getting adequate playing time,but also recovering his rhythm,so as to get back his starting berth in the next round of international fixtures in March next year.
