Patrick de Napoli
Encyclopedia
Patrick de Napoli is a footballer from Switzerland
who is also of Italian
descent. He primarily plays as a forward but can also play as a attacking midfielder and has played for a variety of clubs in Switzerland
and Germany
as well as the Switzerland national football team
. De Napoli currently plays for SC Menzingen in the Swiss 3. Liga, having also played in the top division for clubs such as Grasshopper Club Zürich, Karlsruher SC
and BSC Young Boys
and been player–manager of FC Baar. De Napoli has made over four hundred league appearances and scored over one hundred league goals, with almost half of these tallies coming from two spells at FC Aarau
.
in the 1991–92 season, making his debut in a 2–1 win over FC Servette on 1 March 1992 at the age of sixteen. Grasshoppers finished in third place in the league that season. In the 1992–93 season, de Napoli only made two league appearances as Grasshoppers finished ninth in the regular season and were sucked into a promotion-relegation group. The club also reached the final of the Swiss Cup, but were beaten 4–1 by FC Lugano. 1993–94 proved to be more successful for both de Napoli and Grasshoppers as the club finished second in the Swiss Super League
, just one point behind winners Servette FC
, with de Napoli making seven league appearances. Grasshoppers again reached the final of the Swiss Cup and this time defeated FC Schaffhausen
4–0. De Napoli improved again in 1994–1995, making thirteen appearances and scoring one goal, the first of his senior career. Grasshoppers came close to doing a league and cup double, winning the Swiss Super League
and reaching the cup final for the third consecutive tournament. However, they were beaten 4–2 by FC Sion
. 1995–96 saw Patrick make nineteen appearances in his last season with Grasshopper Club, scoring three times. Grasshoppers again won the league title but were eliminated in the early rounds of the cup. Patrick played in UEFA Champions League
games against Ferencvárosi TC, Real Madrid
(twice) and AFC Ajax, coming on as a substitute in all four matches.
Midway through the 1995–96 season, de Napoli left Grasshoppers to join FC Winterthur
of the Nationalliga B, the Swiss second division. Ironically, his last season with the club proved to be the one in which he made the most appearances and scored the most goals in his five-year spell with Grasshoppers.
midway through the season, de Napoli found himself in a relegation group in the bottom half of Nationalliga B. De Napoli helped steer his new club to safety, as they topped the relegation group with Patrick scoring five times in thirteen games and Winterthur losing just two of their fourteen matches. Despite becoming an important part of Winterthur's team in such a short space of time, de Napoli moved on again at the end of the 1995–96 season, this time joining FC Aarau
, who had just finished fourth in the Nationalliga A
, thereby qualifying for the 1996-97 UEFA Cup. Aarau finished fifth in the 1996–97 Nationalliga A, with de Napoli missing just one of their thirty-six games and weighing in with thirteen goals, a career best. This goal haul included eight in the first twenty-two games, making him the league's joint-seventh top-scorer for the Qualifying Phase and indeed the seventh top-scorer of the overall season. He also featured for Aarau in the UEFA Cup
, playing in both legs of the 7–0 aggregate loss to Brøndby IF
of Denmark
in September 1996.
Aarau improved on their league position in 1997–98, finishing fourth, but de Napoli had a less successful season. He still managed seven goals in thirty-three games, but could not match the impressive strike rate of the previous season. 1997–98 would be de Napoli's last for FC Aarau
, as he departed the club to join FC Zürich, who had finished sixth in Nationalliga A in 1997–98.
. Despite this success, Patrick left the club at the end of the season to rejoin Grasshopper Club Zürich. In what was becoming a familiar pattern in de Napoli's career, he only stayed at Grasshoppers for a year before moving on again. 1999–2000 saw Grasshoppers finish fourth with de Napoli scoring once in eleven games. He left the club midway through the season to join the first foreign club of his career, German
1999–2000 2. Fußball-Bundesliga strugglers Karlsruher SC
, who were then managed by future German national team
boss Joachim Löw. The forward made his debut for Karlsruher
in a 0–0 draw with Rot-Weiß Oberhausen
on 9 February 2000. De Napoli fractured his thumb soon after joining the club, and missed matches in March of 2000. He played twelve of Karlsruher's thirty-four league games, scoring once, in a 3–1 loss to Chemnitzer FC
on 9 April 2000. However, this wasn't enough to save Karlsruher who were relegated at the end of the season, having won just once in de Napoli's twelve appearances. Avoiding dropping down to the German third division, de Napoli returned to Switzerland to rejoin FC Aarau
.
-based club. He scored six times in twenty-four appearances in the 2000–01 Nationalliga A as Aarau finished ninth in the regular season and second in the relegation/promotion play-offs. He again established himself as a first-team regular in 2001–02, playing thirty-four of Aarau's thirty-six games. However, he only managed four goals and Aarau were eventually relegated by just one goal, although they were later re-promoted due to FC Lausanne not obtaining a license. The 2002–03 Nationalliga A went better for both player and club as FC Aarau
preserved their top-flight status and de Napoli netted thirteen times in thirty-two games. De Napoli's goal tally included vital strikes that ultimately kept them up, scoring in a 1–1 draw with BSC Young Boys
, a 2–1 away win over FC Zürich and in a 2–1 victory against FC Lugano. He also scored a late winner against SR Delémont
and a brace against FC Vaduz
in the relegation/promotion group. Patrick scored eight times in thirty games in the 2003–04 Swiss Super League as Aarau scraped to safety once more. His goals included a brace against Zürich in a 3–3 draw on 30 August 2003 and another two goals in a 2–2 draw with FC Basel
on October 26. He left Aarau at the end of the season to join BSC Young Boys
, who had just finished second in the Swiss Super League
.
Patrick's first season with Young Boys saw him score just once in nineteen games. He made his debut for the club in a 6–1 demolition of FC Schaffhausen
in the second game of the season on 23 July 2004, coming on as a second-half substitute. De Napoli scored his first goal for Young Boys and his only goal of 2004–05 in the 4–2 home loss to FC Thun
on 14 April 2005. Young Boys finished fourth in the league. De Napoli also competed in the UEFA Champions League
for the first time since his Grasshoppers days, making a substitute appearance in the 3–0 second leg defeat to FK Crvena Zvezda on 4 August 2004 which eliminated Young Boys from the competition. Ahead of the 2005–06 Swiss Super League Young Boys competed in the UEFA Intertoto Cup
, with de Napoli playing in their wins over Sporting Lokeren and the loss to Olympique Marseille in July 2005. However, the forward played just once for Young Boys in the league in 2005–06, leaving for FC Luzern midway through the campaign in search of first-team football.
on October 14, 2005. He also scored against YF Juventus, FC Winterthur
, FC Sion
and FC Baulmes
as Luzern cruised to the league title. De Napoli scored a penalty
against FC Concordia Basel
in a 4–2 penalty shootout win in the second round of the Swiss Cup.
At the end of the 2005–06 season de Napoli moved to the eighth different club and the second German club of his career, FC Carl Zeiss Jena
. He only stayed at Carl Zeiss Jena for part of the 2006–07 season as they narrowly avoided relegation. De Napoli scored his first goal for Carl Zeiss Jena in a 1–1 draw with SpVgg Greuther Fürth
on 8 November 2006. This proved to be his only goal in thirteen games before moving on loan to Chemnitzer FC
. He signed a four-month loan contract, from 1 February 2007 to 30 June, but expressed frustration at being farmed out at a time when the club as a whole, were struggling at the foot of the table, and claimed "I'm probably just a scapegoat". At Chemnitzer he netted three goals in fourteen games as the club competed in the NOFV-Oberliga, Germany's fifth division. He returned to Carl Zeiss Jena, playing three games for the club's reserve team, Carl Zeiss Jena II. His contract with Carl Zeiss Jena, intended to last until the summer of 2008, was terminated with immediate effect by mutual consent on 29 August 2007. Patrick moved to Zug 94
of the Swiss third division ahead of the 2007–08 season.
on 29 September 2007, De Napoli made eighteen appearances for Zug 94 in 2007–08, scoring nine goals for an impressive strike rate of a goal every other game. These goals included a run of five goals in four consecutive games, with his first goal for Zug coming in a 4–2 win over FC Luzern U21 on 7 October 2007. He followed this record up with another twenty-two appearances in 2008–09, scoring fourteen times. De Napoli netted nine times in his first eight games, scoring twice against both FC Grenchen
and FC Basel
U-21. He played his last game for Zug 94 in a 5–0 loss to SR Delémont
on 26 April 2009.
Patrick rejoined hometown club FC Baar, where he had spent his youth career, in 2009. He adopted the role of player-coach of the team, making appearances in a 2–0 win over Schattdorf FC on 21 August 2010, and on 16 April 2011 in the 2–0 win over FC Hochdorf, setting up the first goal with a free-kick
. He also scored twice in a 3–2 IFV Cup
win over FC Muotathal on 5 September 2010, and was described as having "changed the game" and "made the difference". However, de Napoli was sent off for dissent
in Baar's 2–1 home defeat to FC Perlen–Buchrain on 30 April 2011. Soon after this he left the club to join SC Menzingen of the 3. Liga.
De Napoli scored in an early appearance for Menzingen, in a 1–1 draw with SC Cham II
on 21 August 2011. He then scored twice in the space of three minutes in a 3–2 win over Kussnacht FC on 29 October, taking his tally to three goals in two games.
! rowspan=2|Club !! rowspan=2|Season
! colspan=2|League
! colspan=2|Cup
! colspan=2|Europe
! colspan=2|Other
! colspan=2|Total
! colspan=2|Discipline>
!! 
>
| 1991–92
| 3 > 0
0
0
0
0
0
> 0 0
| 2 > 0
0
0
0
0
0
> 0 0
| 7 > 0
0
0
0
0
0
> 0 0
| 13 > 1
0
0
0
0
0
> 0 0
| 19 > 3
0
0
4
0
0
> 0 0
! 44 !! 4 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 48 !! 4 !! 0 !! 0>
| 1995–96
| 13 > 5
0
0
0
0
0
> 0 0
| 1996–97
| 35 > 13
0
0
0
0
0
> 0 0
| 33 > 7
0
0
0
0
0
> 0 0
! 68 !! 20 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 68 !! 20 !! 0 !! 0>
| 1998–99
| 28 > 13
0
0
6
0
0
> 0 0
| 1999–00
| 11 > 1
0
0
1
1
0
> 0 0
| 1999–00
| 12 > 1
0
0
0
0
0
> 2 0
| 2000–01
| 24 > 6
0
0
0
0
0
> 0 0
| 34 > 4
0
0
0
0
0
> 0 0
| 32 > 13
0
0
0
0
0
> 0 0
| 30 > 8
0
0
0
0
0
> 0 0
Total
120 31 0 0 0 0 0 0 120 31 0 0
|2004–05
| 19 > 1
0
0
1
0
0
> 6 0
| 1 > 0
0
0
0
0
0
> 0 0
Total
20 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 21 1 0 0
|2005–06
| 15 > 5
0
0
0
0
0
> 0 0
|2006–07
| 13 > 1
0
0
0
0
0
> 2 0
(loan)
|2006–07
| 14 > 3
0
0
0
0
0
> 0 0
|2006–07
| 3 > 0
0
0
0
0
0
> 0 0
|2007–08
| 18 > 9
0
0
0
0
0
> 0 0
| 22 > 14
0
0
0
0
0
> 0 0
! 40 !! 23 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 40 !! 23 !! 0 !! 0>
|2009–10
| 0 > 0
0
0
0
0
0
> 0 0
| 3 > 0
1
2
0
0
0
> 0 1
! 3 !! 0 !! 1 !! 2 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 4 !! 2 !! 0 !! 1>
|2011–12
| 2 > 3
0
0
0
0
0
> 1 0
! 402 !! 108 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 416 !! 111 !! 11 !! 1>
team before progressing to the senior side. He scored once for the U21s, against England under-21
in a 2–0 win in March 1998. He also played against England in a 0–0 draw in a 1998 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
qualifier on 2 April 1997. English newspaper The Independent
described the Swiss team that night as "inspired by Patrick de Napoli" as he created a number of chances for himself and his team-mates.
The forward made his debut for the senior Switzerland
side in the 2–1 loss to Russia
on 10 February 1997 in the final of the Lunar New Year Cup, held in Hong Kong
. He earned his second senior cap against Hungary
in a 1998 FIFA World Cup
qualifier on 20 August 1997. The game ended 1–1. De Napoli played once in 1998, in a 1–1 friendly draw with Yugoslavia
and once in 1999, in a 1–0 win over Belarus
. De Napoli came on as a substitute in all four of his international games.
and computing
. His nickname throughout his career has been "DeNa", which is a combination of the "De" and "Na" from his surname and acts as an abbreviation. After retiring from professional football
, de Napoli opened a restaurant in Baar, Switzerland
, called "Relax". The restaurant contains a lounge and bar. De Napoli stated that he had "helped colleagues" in the industry during his playing career and it was something he was interested in. He also expressed his relief at finally becoming his own boss, saying that he had tended to have bad relationships with his managers because he is very opinionated.
As a young player at Grasshopper Club Zürich, de Napoli graduated from the Sports Business Association in Zürich
, after a two year apprenticeship. He also has a tattoo
on his upper left arm.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
who is also of Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
descent. He primarily plays as a forward but can also play as a attacking midfielder and has played for a variety of clubs in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
as well as the Switzerland national football team
Switzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
. De Napoli currently plays for SC Menzingen in the Swiss 3. Liga, having also played in the top division for clubs such as Grasshopper Club Zürich, Karlsruher SC
Karlsruher SC
Karlsruher SC is a German association football club, based in Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg. KSC rose out of the consolidation of a number of predecessor clubs. They currently play in the 2...
and BSC Young Boys
BSC Young Boys
Berner Sport Club Young Boys 1898 is a Swiss sporting club based in the capital city of Bern. The name is often abbreviated to YB . Abroad, YB is often referred to as Young Boys Bern. The club's colors are yellow and black....
and been player–manager of FC Baar. De Napoli has made over four hundred league appearances and scored over one hundred league goals, with almost half of these tallies coming from two spells at FC Aarau
FC Aarau
FC Aarau is a Swiss football club, based in Aarau. They play in the Swiss Challenge League.-History:FC Aarau was formed on 26 May 1902 by workers from a local brewery. The early days of the club were a success and they won the Swiss championship in 1911/12 and then again in 1913/14...
.
Grasshopper Club Zürich
De Napoli has said he has been playing football from the age of six. He played youth football for FC Baar until 1991, when he joined Grasshoppers. Patrick began his senior career with Grasshopper Club Zürich in the Swiss Super LeagueSwiss Super League
The Swiss Super League or Axpo Super League is the top tier of the Swiss Football League. The Swiss Super League is currently ranked 16th according to UEFA's ranking of league coefficients, which is based upon Swiss team performances in European competitions.-Names:-Participating clubs:The teams...
in the 1991–92 season, making his debut in a 2–1 win over FC Servette on 1 March 1992 at the age of sixteen. Grasshoppers finished in third place in the league that season. In the 1992–93 season, de Napoli only made two league appearances as Grasshoppers finished ninth in the regular season and were sucked into a promotion-relegation group. The club also reached the final of the Swiss Cup, but were beaten 4–1 by FC Lugano. 1993–94 proved to be more successful for both de Napoli and Grasshoppers as the club finished second in the Swiss Super League
Swiss Super League
The Swiss Super League or Axpo Super League is the top tier of the Swiss Football League. The Swiss Super League is currently ranked 16th according to UEFA's ranking of league coefficients, which is based upon Swiss team performances in European competitions.-Names:-Participating clubs:The teams...
, just one point behind winners Servette FC
Servette FC
Servette FC is a Swiss football club, based in Geneva currently playing in the Swiss Super League. They were playing in the Swiss Challenge League, the second highest tier of Swiss football having been relegated from the Swiss Super League at the end of 2004/05 season...
, with de Napoli making seven league appearances. Grasshoppers again reached the final of the Swiss Cup and this time defeated FC Schaffhausen
FC Schaffhausen
FC Schaffhausen is a Swiss football team from the town of Schaffhausen. The club plays in the Challenge League, the second tier of the Swiss football pyramid.-Honours:*Swiss Cup: Final game*Challenge League: 1st*Swiss Super League: rank 8...
4–0. De Napoli improved again in 1994–1995, making thirteen appearances and scoring one goal, the first of his senior career. Grasshoppers came close to doing a league and cup double, winning the Swiss Super League
Swiss Super League
The Swiss Super League or Axpo Super League is the top tier of the Swiss Football League. The Swiss Super League is currently ranked 16th according to UEFA's ranking of league coefficients, which is based upon Swiss team performances in European competitions.-Names:-Participating clubs:The teams...
and reaching the cup final for the third consecutive tournament. However, they were beaten 4–2 by FC Sion
FC Sion
FC Sion is a Swiss football team from the city of Sion. The club was founded in 1909, and play their home games at the Stade Tourbillon. They have won the Swiss Super League twice, and the Swiss Cup in each of their twelve appearances in the final, the most recent being in 2011.The first team also...
. 1995–96 saw Patrick make nineteen appearances in his last season with Grasshopper Club, scoring three times. Grasshoppers again won the league title but were eliminated in the early rounds of the cup. Patrick played in UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
games against Ferencvárosi TC, Real Madrid
Real Madrid
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
(twice) and AFC Ajax, coming on as a substitute in all four matches.
Midway through the 1995–96 season, de Napoli left Grasshoppers to join FC Winterthur
FC Winterthur
FC Winterthur is a Swiss football club based in Winterthur, Canton of Zürich. They play in the Swiss Challenge League, the second highest tier of Swiss football...
of the Nationalliga B, the Swiss second division. Ironically, his last season with the club proved to be the one in which he made the most appearances and scored the most goals in his five-year spell with Grasshoppers.
FC Winterthur and FC Aarau
Joining FC WinterthurFC Winterthur
FC Winterthur is a Swiss football club based in Winterthur, Canton of Zürich. They play in the Swiss Challenge League, the second highest tier of Swiss football...
midway through the season, de Napoli found himself in a relegation group in the bottom half of Nationalliga B. De Napoli helped steer his new club to safety, as they topped the relegation group with Patrick scoring five times in thirteen games and Winterthur losing just two of their fourteen matches. Despite becoming an important part of Winterthur's team in such a short space of time, de Napoli moved on again at the end of the 1995–96 season, this time joining FC Aarau
FC Aarau
FC Aarau is a Swiss football club, based in Aarau. They play in the Swiss Challenge League.-History:FC Aarau was formed on 26 May 1902 by workers from a local brewery. The early days of the club were a success and they won the Swiss championship in 1911/12 and then again in 1913/14...
, who had just finished fourth in the Nationalliga A
Swiss Super League
The Swiss Super League or Axpo Super League is the top tier of the Swiss Football League. The Swiss Super League is currently ranked 16th according to UEFA's ranking of league coefficients, which is based upon Swiss team performances in European competitions.-Names:-Participating clubs:The teams...
, thereby qualifying for the 1996-97 UEFA Cup. Aarau finished fifth in the 1996–97 Nationalliga A, with de Napoli missing just one of their thirty-six games and weighing in with thirteen goals, a career best. This goal haul included eight in the first twenty-two games, making him the league's joint-seventh top-scorer for the Qualifying Phase and indeed the seventh top-scorer of the overall season. He also featured for Aarau in the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
, playing in both legs of the 7–0 aggregate loss to Brøndby IF
Brøndby IF
Brøndby IF is a Danish professional football club based in Brøndbyvester, Brøndby, on the western outskirts of Copenhagen and is the biggest football club in Denmark with almost 2000 members. The club is also known as Brøndbyernes Idrætsforening, or Brøndby and BIF for short...
of Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
in September 1996.
Aarau improved on their league position in 1997–98, finishing fourth, but de Napoli had a less successful season. He still managed seven goals in thirty-three games, but could not match the impressive strike rate of the previous season. 1997–98 would be de Napoli's last for FC Aarau
FC Aarau
FC Aarau is a Swiss football club, based in Aarau. They play in the Swiss Challenge League.-History:FC Aarau was formed on 26 May 1902 by workers from a local brewery. The early days of the club were a success and they won the Swiss championship in 1911/12 and then again in 1913/14...
, as he departed the club to join FC Zürich, who had finished sixth in Nationalliga A in 1997–98.
FC Zürich, return to Grasshoppers and Karlsruher SC
De Napoli's choice to move to FC Zürich ahead of the 1998–99 Nationalliga A proved to be successful. Zürich finished in fourth place while Aarau were sucked into a relegation battle. The striker also experienced the best strike rate of his career, scoring thirteen times in just twenty-eight games. As a result, he was the league's joint-second top-scorer, tied with Zürich team-mate Shaun BartlettShaun Bartlett
Shaun Bartlett is a retired South African football striker who last played for Bloemfontein Celtic.-Early life:...
. Despite this success, Patrick left the club at the end of the season to rejoin Grasshopper Club Zürich. In what was becoming a familiar pattern in de Napoli's career, he only stayed at Grasshoppers for a year before moving on again. 1999–2000 saw Grasshoppers finish fourth with de Napoli scoring once in eleven games. He left the club midway through the season to join the first foreign club of his career, German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
1999–2000 2. Fußball-Bundesliga strugglers Karlsruher SC
Karlsruher SC
Karlsruher SC is a German association football club, based in Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg. KSC rose out of the consolidation of a number of predecessor clubs. They currently play in the 2...
, who were then managed by future German national team
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
boss Joachim Löw. The forward made his debut for Karlsruher
Karlsruher SC
Karlsruher SC is a German association football club, based in Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg. KSC rose out of the consolidation of a number of predecessor clubs. They currently play in the 2...
in a 0–0 draw with Rot-Weiß Oberhausen
Rot-Weiß Oberhausen
Rot-Weiß Oberhausen is a German association football club in Oberhausen, North Rhine-Westphalia. The club was formed as Oberhausener SV in December 1904 out of the merger of Emschertaler SV and the football enthusiasts of Oberhausener TV 1873...
on 9 February 2000. De Napoli fractured his thumb soon after joining the club, and missed matches in March of 2000. He played twelve of Karlsruher's thirty-four league games, scoring once, in a 3–1 loss to Chemnitzer FC
Chemnitzer FC
Chemnitzer FC is a German association football club based in Chemnitz, Saxony.The roots of the club go back to its establishment as Chemnitzer BC 1933 in 1933 after the collapse of former Chemnitzer BC 1899....
on 9 April 2000. However, this wasn't enough to save Karlsruher who were relegated at the end of the season, having won just once in de Napoli's twelve appearances. Avoiding dropping down to the German third division, de Napoli returned to Switzerland to rejoin FC Aarau
FC Aarau
FC Aarau is a Swiss football club, based in Aarau. They play in the Swiss Challenge League.-History:FC Aarau was formed on 26 May 1902 by workers from a local brewery. The early days of the club were a success and they won the Swiss championship in 1911/12 and then again in 1913/14...
.
FC Aarau and Young Boys
De Napoli had enjoyed one of the best years of his career with Aarau in 1996–97, and he again experienced a return to form after rejoining the AargauAargau
Aargau is one of the more northerly cantons of Switzerland. It comprises the lower course of the river Aare, which is why the canton is called Aar-gau .-History:...
-based club. He scored six times in twenty-four appearances in the 2000–01 Nationalliga A as Aarau finished ninth in the regular season and second in the relegation/promotion play-offs. He again established himself as a first-team regular in 2001–02, playing thirty-four of Aarau's thirty-six games. However, he only managed four goals and Aarau were eventually relegated by just one goal, although they were later re-promoted due to FC Lausanne not obtaining a license. The 2002–03 Nationalliga A went better for both player and club as FC Aarau
FC Aarau
FC Aarau is a Swiss football club, based in Aarau. They play in the Swiss Challenge League.-History:FC Aarau was formed on 26 May 1902 by workers from a local brewery. The early days of the club were a success and they won the Swiss championship in 1911/12 and then again in 1913/14...
preserved their top-flight status and de Napoli netted thirteen times in thirty-two games. De Napoli's goal tally included vital strikes that ultimately kept them up, scoring in a 1–1 draw with BSC Young Boys
BSC Young Boys
Berner Sport Club Young Boys 1898 is a Swiss sporting club based in the capital city of Bern. The name is often abbreviated to YB . Abroad, YB is often referred to as Young Boys Bern. The club's colors are yellow and black....
, a 2–1 away win over FC Zürich and in a 2–1 victory against FC Lugano. He also scored a late winner against SR Delémont
SR Delémont
SR Delémont is a Swiss football club based in Delémont. It was founded in 1909 and has played in the Swiss Super League during the periods of 2000-2001 and 2002-2003.-Current squad:As of 16 July, 2011-External links:...
and a brace against FC Vaduz
FC Vaduz
FC Vaduz is a Liechtenstein football club from Vaduz, that play in the Swiss Football League. The club plays at the national Rheinpark Stadion, which has a capacity of 6,127 when all seated but has additional standing places in the North and South ends of the ground, giving a total stadium capacity...
in the relegation/promotion group. Patrick scored eight times in thirty games in the 2003–04 Swiss Super League as Aarau scraped to safety once more. His goals included a brace against Zürich in a 3–3 draw on 30 August 2003 and another two goals in a 2–2 draw with FC Basel
FC Basel
Fussball Club Basel 1893, widely known as FC Basel is a Swiss football club based in Basel. They are one of the most successful clubs in Swiss football, having won the Swiss Super League 14 times, the third most for any Swiss club. They were most successful in the late 1960s and 1970s, winning the...
on October 26. He left Aarau at the end of the season to join BSC Young Boys
BSC Young Boys
Berner Sport Club Young Boys 1898 is a Swiss sporting club based in the capital city of Bern. The name is often abbreviated to YB . Abroad, YB is often referred to as Young Boys Bern. The club's colors are yellow and black....
, who had just finished second in the Swiss Super League
Swiss Super League
The Swiss Super League or Axpo Super League is the top tier of the Swiss Football League. The Swiss Super League is currently ranked 16th according to UEFA's ranking of league coefficients, which is based upon Swiss team performances in European competitions.-Names:-Participating clubs:The teams...
.
Patrick's first season with Young Boys saw him score just once in nineteen games. He made his debut for the club in a 6–1 demolition of FC Schaffhausen
FC Schaffhausen
FC Schaffhausen is a Swiss football team from the town of Schaffhausen. The club plays in the Challenge League, the second tier of the Swiss football pyramid.-Honours:*Swiss Cup: Final game*Challenge League: 1st*Swiss Super League: rank 8...
in the second game of the season on 23 July 2004, coming on as a second-half substitute. De Napoli scored his first goal for Young Boys and his only goal of 2004–05 in the 4–2 home loss to FC Thun
FC Thun
FC Thun 1898 is a Swiss football team from the Bernese Oberland town of Thun. The club currently plays in the Swiss Super League after being promoted in the 2009/10 season. The club plays at the Arena Thun which accommodates a total of 10,300 supporters, both seated and standing...
on 14 April 2005. Young Boys finished fourth in the league. De Napoli also competed in the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
for the first time since his Grasshoppers days, making a substitute appearance in the 3–0 second leg defeat to FK Crvena Zvezda on 4 August 2004 which eliminated Young Boys from the competition. Ahead of the 2005–06 Swiss Super League Young Boys competed in the UEFA Intertoto Cup
UEFA Intertoto Cup
The UEFA Intertoto Cup, also abbreviated as UI Cup and originally called the International Football Cup, was a summer football competition for European clubs that had not qualified for one of the two major UEFA competitions, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup. The competition was discontinued...
, with de Napoli playing in their wins over Sporting Lokeren and the loss to Olympique Marseille in July 2005. However, the forward played just once for Young Boys in the league in 2005–06, leaving for FC Luzern midway through the campaign in search of first-team football.
2005–2007: Luzern, Carl Zeiss Jena and Chemnitzer FC
De Napoli played for FC Luzern in the second half of the 2005–06 Swiss Super League campaign, scoring five times in fifteen games and helping Luzern to promotion from the Swiss Challenge League. He scored his first goal for Luzern in a 1–1 draw at FC ChiassoFC Chiasso
FC Chiasso is a Swiss football club based in Chiasso. It was founded in 1905.Chiasso also played in the Italian first league between 1914 and 1923....
on October 14, 2005. He also scored against YF Juventus, FC Winterthur
FC Winterthur
FC Winterthur is a Swiss football club based in Winterthur, Canton of Zürich. They play in the Swiss Challenge League, the second highest tier of Swiss football...
, FC Sion
FC Sion
FC Sion is a Swiss football team from the city of Sion. The club was founded in 1909, and play their home games at the Stade Tourbillon. They have won the Swiss Super League twice, and the Swiss Cup in each of their twelve appearances in the final, the most recent being in 2011.The first team also...
and FC Baulmes
FC Baulmes
FC Baulmes is a Swiss football club based in Baulmes in canton Vaud. The club currently plays in the 1. Liga.-External links:*...
as Luzern cruised to the league title. De Napoli scored a penalty
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
against FC Concordia Basel
FC Concordia Basel
FC Concordia Basel is a Swiss football club based in Basel. The club was founded in 1907. They play in the 2nd regional league which is the fifth level, and their home stadium is Rankhof Stadium....
in a 4–2 penalty shootout win in the second round of the Swiss Cup.
At the end of the 2005–06 season de Napoli moved to the eighth different club and the second German club of his career, FC Carl Zeiss Jena
FC Carl Zeiss Jena
FC Carl Zeiss Jena is a German association football club based in Jena, Thuringia.-History:The club was founded in May 1903 by workers at the Carl Zeiss AG optics factory as the company-sponsored Fussball-Club der Firma Carl Zeiss. The club underwent name changes in 1911 to Fussball Club Carl Zeiss...
. He only stayed at Carl Zeiss Jena for part of the 2006–07 season as they narrowly avoided relegation. De Napoli scored his first goal for Carl Zeiss Jena in a 1–1 draw with SpVgg Greuther Fürth
SpVgg Greuther Fürth
SpVgg Greuther Fürth is a German association football club based in Fürth, Bavaria. The club was formed when the senior football side of newcomer Turn- und Sportverein Vestenbergsgreuth joined traditional club Spielvereinigung Fürth on 1 July 1996...
on 8 November 2006. This proved to be his only goal in thirteen games before moving on loan to Chemnitzer FC
Chemnitzer FC
Chemnitzer FC is a German association football club based in Chemnitz, Saxony.The roots of the club go back to its establishment as Chemnitzer BC 1933 in 1933 after the collapse of former Chemnitzer BC 1899....
. He signed a four-month loan contract, from 1 February 2007 to 30 June, but expressed frustration at being farmed out at a time when the club as a whole, were struggling at the foot of the table, and claimed "I'm probably just a scapegoat". At Chemnitzer he netted three goals in fourteen games as the club competed in the NOFV-Oberliga, Germany's fifth division. He returned to Carl Zeiss Jena, playing three games for the club's reserve team, Carl Zeiss Jena II. His contract with Carl Zeiss Jena, intended to last until the summer of 2008, was terminated with immediate effect by mutual consent on 29 August 2007. Patrick moved to Zug 94
Zug 94
Zug 94 is a Swiss football team based in Zug which currently competes in the 1. Liga. It was formed in 1994 after a merger between SC Zug and FC Zug...
of the Swiss third division ahead of the 2007–08 season.
2007–present
Making his debut in a 1–0 loss to FC Biel-BienneFC Biel-Bienne
FC Biel-Bienne is a football club based in Biel/Bienne. The currently play in the Swiss Challenge League.-Honours:*Swiss Super League**Champions : 1947**Runners-up : 1948, 1960*Swiss Cup**Runners-up : 1961-Current squad:...
on 29 September 2007, De Napoli made eighteen appearances for Zug 94 in 2007–08, scoring nine goals for an impressive strike rate of a goal every other game. These goals included a run of five goals in four consecutive games, with his first goal for Zug coming in a 4–2 win over FC Luzern U21 on 7 October 2007. He followed this record up with another twenty-two appearances in 2008–09, scoring fourteen times. De Napoli netted nine times in his first eight games, scoring twice against both FC Grenchen
FC Grenchen
FC Grenchen is a Swiss football club, based in Grenchen. They currently play in the 1. Liga, and play their matches at the Brühl Stadium.-History:FC Grenchen was founded in 1906...
and FC Basel
FC Basel
Fussball Club Basel 1893, widely known as FC Basel is a Swiss football club based in Basel. They are one of the most successful clubs in Swiss football, having won the Swiss Super League 14 times, the third most for any Swiss club. They were most successful in the late 1960s and 1970s, winning the...
U-21. He played his last game for Zug 94 in a 5–0 loss to SR Delémont
SR Delémont
SR Delémont is a Swiss football club based in Delémont. It was founded in 1909 and has played in the Swiss Super League during the periods of 2000-2001 and 2002-2003.-Current squad:As of 16 July, 2011-External links:...
on 26 April 2009.
Patrick rejoined hometown club FC Baar, where he had spent his youth career, in 2009. He adopted the role of player-coach of the team, making appearances in a 2–0 win over Schattdorf FC on 21 August 2010, and on 16 April 2011 in the 2–0 win over FC Hochdorf, setting up the first goal with a free-kick
Direct free kick
A direct free kick is a method of restarting play in a game of association football following a foul. Unlike an indirect free kick, a goal may be scored directly against the opposing side without the ball having first touched another player.-Award:...
. He also scored twice in a 3–2 IFV Cup
2. Liga
2. Liga is the fifth tier of the Swiss Football League. The division is split into 17 groups of 12, 13 or 14 teams by geographical region. Teams usually play within their own canton.- Regional Associations:* Aargauischer Fussballverband...
win over FC Muotathal on 5 September 2010, and was described as having "changed the game" and "made the difference". However, de Napoli was sent off for dissent
Dissent
Dissent is a sentiment or philosophy of non-agreement or opposition to a prevailing idea or an entity...
in Baar's 2–1 home defeat to FC Perlen–Buchrain on 30 April 2011. Soon after this he left the club to join SC Menzingen of the 3. Liga.
De Napoli scored in an early appearance for Menzingen, in a 1–1 draw with SC Cham II
SC Cham
SC Cham 1910 is a Swiss football team currently playing in the third tier of the Swiss football pyramid. They are based in Cham and were founded in 1910.-History:...
on 21 August 2011. He then scored twice in the space of three minutes in a 3–2 win over Kussnacht FC on 29 October, taking his tally to three goals in two games.
Club career statistics
! colspan=2|League
! colspan=2|Cup
! colspan=2|Europe
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
! colspan=2|Other
! colspan=2|Total
! colspan=2|Discipline>
| 1991–92
| 3 >
> 0
| 2 >
> 0
| 7 >
> 0
| 13 >
> 0
| 19 >
> 0
! 44 !! 4 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 48 !! 4 !! 0 !! 0>
FC Winterthur
FC Winterthur is a Swiss football club based in Winterthur, Canton of Zürich. They play in the Swiss Challenge League, the second highest tier of Swiss football...
| 1995–96
| 13 >
> 0
FC Aarau
FC Aarau is a Swiss football club, based in Aarau. They play in the Swiss Challenge League.-History:FC Aarau was formed on 26 May 1902 by workers from a local brewery. The early days of the club were a success and they won the Swiss championship in 1911/12 and then again in 1913/14...
| 1996–97
| 35 >
> 0
| 33 >
> 0
! 68 !! 20 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 68 !! 20 !! 0 !! 0>
| 1998–99
| 28 >
> 0
| 1999–00
| 11 >
> 0
Karlsruher SC
Karlsruher SC is a German association football club, based in Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg. KSC rose out of the consolidation of a number of predecessor clubs. They currently play in the 2...
| 1999–00
| 12 >
> 2
FC Aarau
FC Aarau is a Swiss football club, based in Aarau. They play in the Swiss Challenge League.-History:FC Aarau was formed on 26 May 1902 by workers from a local brewery. The early days of the club were a success and they won the Swiss championship in 1911/12 and then again in 1913/14...
| 2000–01
| 24 >
> 0
| 34 >
> 0
| 32 >
> 0
| 30 >
> 0
120
BSC Young Boys
Berner Sport Club Young Boys 1898 is a Swiss sporting club based in the capital city of Bern. The name is often abbreviated to YB . Abroad, YB is often referred to as Young Boys Bern. The club's colors are yellow and black....
|2004–05
| 19 >
> 6
| 1 >
> 0
20
|2005–06
| 15 >
> 0
FC Carl Zeiss Jena
FC Carl Zeiss Jena is a German association football club based in Jena, Thuringia.-History:The club was founded in May 1903 by workers at the Carl Zeiss AG optics factory as the company-sponsored Fussball-Club der Firma Carl Zeiss. The club underwent name changes in 1911 to Fussball Club Carl Zeiss...
|2006–07
| 13 >
> 2
Chemnitzer FC
Chemnitzer FC is a German association football club based in Chemnitz, Saxony.The roots of the club go back to its establishment as Chemnitzer BC 1933 in 1933 after the collapse of former Chemnitzer BC 1899....
(loan)
|2006–07
| 14 >
> 0
FC Carl Zeiss Jena
FC Carl Zeiss Jena is a German association football club based in Jena, Thuringia.-History:The club was founded in May 1903 by workers at the Carl Zeiss AG optics factory as the company-sponsored Fussball-Club der Firma Carl Zeiss. The club underwent name changes in 1911 to Fussball Club Carl Zeiss...
|2006–07
| 3 >
> 0
|2007–08
Swiss 1. Liga (football)
1. Liga is the third tier of the Swiss Football League. The division is split into three groups of 16 teams, by geographical region.-Regional Format:...
| 18 >
> 0
| 22 >
> 0
! 40 !! 23 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 40 !! 23 !! 0 !! 0>
|2009–10
| 0 >
> 0
| 3 >
> 0
! 3 !! 0 !! 1 !! 2 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 4 !! 2 !! 0 !! 1>
|2011–12
| 2 >
> 1
! 402 !! 108 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 416 !! 111 !! 11 !! 1>
International career
De Napoli played for the Switzerland under-21Switzerland national under-21 football team
The Switzerland national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Switzerland and is controlled by the Swiss Football Association...
team before progressing to the senior side. He scored once for the U21s, against England under-21
England national under-21 football team
England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
in a 2–0 win in March 1998. He also played against England in a 0–0 draw in a 1998 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
1998 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The UEFA U-21 Championship 1998, which spanned two years , had 46 entrants. Before the quarter-finals stage, Romania were chosen as the hosts of the final stages, consisting of four matches in total....
qualifier on 2 April 1997. English newspaper The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
described the Swiss team that night as "inspired by Patrick de Napoli" as he created a number of chances for himself and his team-mates.
The forward made his debut for the senior Switzerland
Switzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
side in the 2–1 loss to Russia
Russia national football team
The Russia national football team represents Russia in association football and is controlled by the Russian Football Union , the governing body for football in Russia. Russia's home grounds are Luzhniki Stadium, Lokomotiv Stadium , and Petrovsky Stadium in St.Petersburg and their head coach is...
on 10 February 1997 in the final of the Lunar New Year Cup, held in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. He earned his second senior cap against Hungary
Hungary national football team
The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation....
in a 1998 FIFA World Cup
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
qualifier on 20 August 1997. The game ended 1–1. De Napoli played once in 1998, in a 1–1 friendly draw with Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia national football team
The Yugoslavia national football team represented the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in association football. It enjoyed a modicum of success in international competition. In 1992, during the Yugoslav wars, the team was suspended from international...
and once in 1999, in a 1–0 win over Belarus
Belarus national football team
The Belarus national football team represents Belarus in association football and is controlled by the Football Federation of Belarus, the governing body for football in Belarus. Belarus' home ground is Dinamo Stadium in Minsk...
. De Napoli came on as a substitute in all four of his international games.
Senior international appearances
| Cap | Date | Venue | Opponent | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 February 1997 | Government Stadium, Hong Kong Hong Kong Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour... |
L 2–1 | 1997 Lunar New Year Cup | |
| 2 | 20 August 1997 | Népstadion, Budapest Budapest Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter... |
D 1–1 | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification -Qualified teams:The following 32 teams qualified for the 1998 FIFA World Cup: - qualified automatically as hosts - qualified automatically as defending champions-Notes:... |
|
| 3 | 6 June 1998 | St. Jakob Stadium St. Jakob Stadium The St. Jakob Stadium was a football stadium in Basel, Switzerland and the former home of Swiss club FC Basel. It was built in 1954, and as well as serving as a club stadium, it hosted several important matches, including a 1954 FIFA World Cup semi-final and four Cup Winners' Cup finals.Tickets and... , Basel Basel Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany... |
D 1–1 | Friendly | |
| 4 | 27 March 1999 | Dynama Stadium, Minsk Minsk - Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened... |
W 1–0 | UEFA Euro 2000 qualification |
Personal life
De Napoli is married to Iris and has two children called Aurora and Alessio. Aside from football, Patrick also enjoys tennisTennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
and computing
Computing
Computing is usually defined as the activity of using and improving computer hardware and software. It is the computer-specific part of information technology...
. His nickname throughout his career has been "DeNa", which is a combination of the "De" and "Na" from his surname and acts as an abbreviation. After retiring from professional football
Professional sports
Professional sports, as opposed to amateur sports, are sports in which athletes receive payment for their performance. Professional athleticism has come to the fore through a combination of developments. Mass media and increased leisure have brought larger audiences, so that sports organizations...
, de Napoli opened a restaurant in Baar, Switzerland
Baar, Switzerland
Baar is a village in the canton of Zug in Switzerland.-Geography:Baar has an area, , of . Of this area, 55% is used for agricultural purposes, while 24.5% is forested...
, called "Relax". The restaurant contains a lounge and bar. De Napoli stated that he had "helped colleagues" in the industry during his playing career and it was something he was interested in. He also expressed his relief at finally becoming his own boss, saying that he had tended to have bad relationships with his managers because he is very opinionated.
As a young player at Grasshopper Club Zürich, de Napoli graduated from the Sports Business Association in Zürich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, after a two year apprenticeship. He also has a tattoo
Tattoo
A tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...
on his upper left arm.