The Captivating Story of Giacomo Raspadori: Italy’s Star Striker

A lifelong Inter Milan fan, Raspadori’s early inspiration stemmed from watching his older brother Enrico, a role model who ignited his love for the beautiful game. Their football journey began as young strikers, guided by the support of their grandfather, who ferryed them in his van to play on the fields near the Bondanello church. These formative years were filled with endless matches, fostering Raspadori’s dream alongside fellow football hopefuls like Wilfried Gnonto.

From backyard games to local clubs, Raspadori’s parents, Michele and Roberta Rosa, recognized his talent and enrolled him at SCD Progresso Calcio 1919 in Castel Maggiore. Michele, having played for Progresso, and Roberta, managing administrative duties, nurtured Giacomo’s early career within the rich footballing tradition of Bologna.

This is the tale of a rising star, driven by family support and a deep-rooted love for the game, shaping his journey from local fields to the heights of professional football.

Our Giacomo Raspadori Biography tells you Facts about his Childhood Story, Early Life, Parents – Father (Michele Raspadori), Mother (Roberta Rosa Raspadori), Family Background, Siblings – a Brother (Enrico Raspadori), Girlfriend/Wife to be (Andrea Graziani), Grandparents, Brother In-Law (Andrea Graziani), etc.

We’ll also unveil you details of Raspadori’s Family Origin, hometown, Religion, Ethnicity, etc. Again, we won’t forget facts on the Lifestyle, Net Worth, and Salary Breakdown of the Bentivoglio Athlete.

Preamble:

We begin Giacomo Raspadori’s Biography by unveiling notable events of his Early Life. Next, we tell you the story of his journey from Progresso to Napoli. Finally, we’ll unveil how the diminutive striker, with an exceptional turn of acceleration, achieved a rise in football.

We hope to whet your autobiography appetite as we engage you with reading Giacomo Raspadori’s Bio. To begin doing that, let’s portray to you this gallery that tells the story of the Bentivoglio Football Legend.

Very few football fans outside of Italy had heard the Italian footballers’ names. According to those who know him, Giacomo Raspadori is Italy’s next star striker.

In our mission to deliver the untold stories of Italian Football Strikers, we found a knowledge deficit. The Truth is, not many fans have read an in-depth version of Giacomo Raspadori’s Biography. So, without further ado, let’s begin.

Giacomo Raspadori Childhood Story:

For Biography starters, he bears the nicknames- “Jack, Raspa or Raspino.” Giacomo Raspadori was born on the 18th day of February 2000 to his Father, Michele Raspadori, and mother, Roberta Rosa, Bentivoglio, Italy.

The Italian professional footballer is one among two children (himself, a male and zero sisters) born to the blissful marital union of his parents. In other words, Giacomo Raspadori’s Parents had him as their second son out of two boys (himself and Enrico).

Growing Up:

Giacomo Raspadori’s Brother is Enrico. Both siblings were born to Michele and Roberta.  Although his birthplace is Bentivoglio, Giacomo Raspadori and his big brother (Enrico) spent their childhood in Castel Maggiore.

Castel Maggiore, where he grew up, is a neighbouring municipality 10 kilometres away from his birthplace. Enrico Raspadori, born on the 23rd day of August 1997, is Giacomo’s one and only older brother.

It is pertinent to state that Erico and Giacomo have shared a unique bond since their early childhood years. Playing together as kids has helped them develop mutual respect and, most importantly, led to the development of similar hobbies and interests (Football).

Nothing has changed for the Raspadori brothers, whose ages are separated by 2 years, 6 months and 26 days. They, who are now professional footballers, still find time to do other leisure activities that bind them together.

Indeed, their shared interest in swimming played a role in making Enrico and Giacomo create time for themselves. The bond shared by the Raspadori brothers is similar to that of Inaki and Nico Williams.

Giacomo Raspadori Early Life:

When he was a child, he derived joy from watching his older brother Enrico, his role model, play football. Enrico helped his little Giacomo (now the family’s breadwinner) with early exposure to the sport, including helping him develop a passion for it.

Both Enrico Raspadori and his little brother, Giacomo, started out as Strikers. According to an interview with Corriere di Bologna, both siblings trace their early stage in football to the support of their grandfather.

Back then, Giacomo Raspadori’s granddad drove them in his van to play football (those endless games) on the fields of the old Bondanello church. It was on a church football field that fellow Italian footballer Wilfried Gnonto laid the foundation of his football dream.

The Raspadori siblings also enjoyed the memorable experience of playing football at their family home and in their neighbourhood. Enjoying football in a relaxed and informal setting ended when Giacomo Raspadori’s Parents agreed for their boys to enrol at a local club.

Rather than risk breaking objects at home, the boys were allowed to join SCD Progresso Calcio 1919. This local soccer academy in Castel Maggiore is a historic Bolognese club which boasts of giving young footballers the platform to succeed in the sport.

Aside from the Raspadori brothers, SCD Progresso Calcio 1919 have boasted of producing some top footballers in the past. Chiefly among them are Massimo Loviso, Stefano Chiodi and Franco Cresci.

Giacomo Raspadori Family Background:

Research carried out shows that his Dad, Michele, once played for the Progresso football club. On the other hand, Roberta Rosa (Giacomo Raspadori’s Mum) did Secretariat duties for the football club (Progresso) for years. Part of her duties was to organize summer camps for the rossoblù club.

Giacomo Raspadori’s parents (Michele and Roberta), are best regarded as a down-to-earth couple who have a genuine passion for football. More importantly, they have (over the years) played different roles in supporting their son’s interests in the sport.

Aside from Giacomo Raspadori’s grandfather, his Dad, Michele, also made it a point of duty to drive him to those endless games on the pitch of Bondanello church. Those were the first act of the Raspadori brothers’ football life.

Back in the day, Giacomo Raspadori’s Family had a minibus. His parents and granddad (very humble and modest people) would be in it as it travelled from Castel Maggiore to Sassuolo. The mini-bus would convey Giacomo and his brother to their football academies.

In doing the above, Michele and Roberta allowed their sons to live their dreams. Speaking of dreams, it was always in Giacomo Raspadori’s Parents’ interest to see their son live his education dreams.

Today, their breadwinner son is a living example of the popular saying that “Talent must be accompanied by brains and education”. Football and educational accomplishments are two qualities Giacomo has on his CV. We’ll tell you more about this as we progress with this Bio.

Giacomo Raspadori Family Origin:

The athlete’s parents, Michele and Roberta, are both of Italian nationality. And Bentivoglio, a comune situated in the Italian City of Bologna, is where Giacomo Raspadori’s family come from. Here is a map gallery that’ll help you understand the origins of the Italian Striker.

Giacomo Raspadori Ethnicity:

The Bentivoglio Athlete identifies with the Italian People cultural group. This ethnic group, which comprises people of Italian ancestry, shares a common ethnic and linguistic heritage. Italian people account for 95% of people and 0.78% of the world’s population.

Education:

From the onset, Giacomo Raspadori’s Parents had always insisted on schooling. And he, together with his brother, Enrico, found it manageable to combine their studies with their playing career.

Our findings reveal that Giacomo Raspadori began attending Liceo Scientifico when he played for U.S. Sassuolo Calcio’s football academy. The Italian Striker graduated with flying colours in the summer of 2019 (the year he turned pro).

According to the institution, Raspadori obtained an excellent A grade of 79/100 in the final exams. For many footballers, becoming a professional footballer implies a fulfilled dream, and it also leads to abandoning their studies. This wasn’t the case for Raspadori.

Just like Wilfried Ndidi and Rodri, he continued his schooling even as a professional. While playing for the Sassuolo senior team, the Bentivoglio Athlete enrolled with the Faculty of Motor Sciences of the University of Bologna.

So as a professional footballer, Giacomo Raspadori decided to study sports science at the above-named University. Knowing that his field of study aligns with his professional career, the Italian Striker would likely take up a football or coaching job when he retires from the game.

Career Buildup:

As stated earlier, it was always Giacomo’s dream to play football, and he was always good at dreaming that he would get to the top. In the Athlete’s words;

When I was little, maybe four or five years old, my parents and teachers would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I remember that being a footballer was always my answer.

Giacomo Raspadori took his first football steps at Progresso, an Italian football academy whose senior team plays in Serie D. Also, one of the most important football teams in the Bologna hinterland.

It was this small Bolognese club (Progresso) that launched Giacomo Raspadori and his best friend, Federico Ravaglia. These boys, who grew up together, later became rivals in Serie A. The goalkeeper, born in 2001, was sold to Bologna while Giacomo transferred to Sassuolo.

Progresso football club’s president, Maurizio Giacobazzi, describes Raspadori as a positive leader, a determined boy who always had his head on his shoulders.

Aldo Tolomelli was Raspadori’s first coach at Progresso’s academy. He once said that Giacomo has always been an example for his teammates, both on the pitch as well as in life. Aldo further revealed that Raspadori was always the first to arrive at the training and the last to leave.

Tolomelli coached Raspadori for a period of two years in the youth team of Progresso. During that time, he knew the boy had something extra, and he would go on to achieve great things for Progresso.

Giacomo Raspadori Biography – Early Career Triumph:

The Tassi Football Tournament has been one of the most important youth events in the province. It was a football event that had scouts from all over Italy coming to shop for players. Giacomo Raspadori did wonders when he participated in the Tassi Tournament of 2009.

Despite a heavy downpour of rain, the Bentivoglio native helped his team to win the final. Giacomo Raspadori scored 6 goals and made 6 assists in a game that ended 12-0. That was a turning point in Giacomo’s life. From that moment, many clubs were on his trail.

Sassuolo and Bologna were among the football clubs interested in him. When Bologna came forward to meet Giacomo Raspadori’s Parents about their second son, they refused. This is because the entire family never wanted him to separate from Enrico, who was wanted by Sassuolo. Because of that, both Raspadori brothers decided to go to Sassuolo.

The decision of Sassuolo to approve the transfer of the Raspadori brothers follows the same approach made by Athletic Bilbao in their transfer of Inaki and Nico Williams. It came from the wishful thinking of a football scout named Gianni Soli. Sadly, he died in 2013 (four years after he brought Giacomo and Enrico to Sassuolo).

Sassuolo’s talented scout, the late Gianni Soli, was also the person who initiated the transfer of Domenico Berardi to The Black and Greens. Gianni Soli knew Michele and Roberta would find it difficult to divide their boys, so he convinced Sassuolo to sign both.

Learning from Samuel Eto’o:

At the tender age of 10, Giacomo had been known as a smart boy, a young leader endowed by lots of potential. Known for his goal-scoring ability, the Bentivoglio native learned from the playing style of Samuel Eto‘o, who inspired his vision to become a better striker.

The events of Inter Milan’s 2009/2010 season inspired Giacomo Raspadori to become better. His favourite club, under the command of Jose Mourinho, won a treble that season. These trophies includes the Italian Cup, Champions League, and Serie A title.

During that time, Raspadori’s best player was no other than Samuel Eto’o. This is the legendary Striker from Cameroon who (in that 2009/2020 season) had joined Inter from Barcelona. If you recall, Etoo’s transfer came following the departure of Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Barcelona.

In addition to the training with Sassuolo, Raspadori took his time to study both Sergio Aguero and Samuel Eto’o movements, including their finishings. He was determined to follow in the Striker’s footsteps, which implied working extra hard to develop himself.

As early as 14, Raspadori began drawing interest from big clubs, such as Inter, AC Milan, and Roma. Following his family’s advice, he decided to complete his growth at Sassuolo.

Giacomo Raspadori Bio – Road to Fame Story:

The Baller’s desire to improve earned him a place with the Italy U17 junior national team in 2016. The 2018–2019 season was Raspadori’s best season as an Azzurri junior, thanks to the number of goals scored. Next came a great chapter in his football journey after these impressive trophy hauls.

The joy of Giacomo Raspadori’s Parents knew no bounds as their son signed his first professional contract on the 9th day of August 2018. The Emerging talent described his first start Serie A debut as “the crowning of a dream!”  In his words,

This is the crowning of a dream! A great honour to debut in Serie A with the colours of the team that raised me. A team that has always proven to believe in me.
Thank you to everyone who is a part of this big family and made all of this possible! I hope it’s just the beginning of a long journey.

Giacomo Raspadori Biography – Success Story:

As most Athletes and football fans know, the start of a professional football journey can be both a challenging and thrilling experience. Raspadori adjusted to new surroundings, and he saw himself competing against the best players in the world.

Raspadori, alongside Gianluca Scamacca and Manuel Locatelli, joined Roberto De Zerbi‘s Sassuolo’s first team in the same season. In his first senior career season, the quick, agile and diminutive Centre forward was mostly made to play as a second striker.

The Sassuolo Striker began the debut senior season slowly, as he took time to acclimatise to the demands of top-flight football. His immediate impact came through his unique ability to press well and cut off passing lanes intelligently whenever he makes curved runs.

In no time, Giacomo Raspadori’s leadership qualities evolved, and that earned him the Sassuolo captain armband in his breakout season. Giacomo proved he was a true leader, and he quickly became one of Sassuolo fans’ favourites.

The two-footed player was known to possess good vision and the technical skills needed to create and score goals. Although Raspadori cited Sergio Agüero as his modern inspiration, his playing style was compared to two Serie A Legends, these persons of Antonio Di Natale and Carlos Tevez.

National team Rise:

In a shocked decision, Mancini (in his preparation for the 2020 Euros) decided to leave out Moise Kean and instead opted for Raspadori. He selected the Forward despite not seeing him make any single appearance for the Italian national team.

Andrea Belotti, Lorenzo Insigne, and Ciro Immobile were more experienced forwards in the Italian Euro 2022 squad. The classic fox in the box helped his country (Italy) to win the Euro 2020 trophy after defeating England in a tightly contested Wembley final.

Following the Euro 2020 tournament victory, a new chapter opened for Raspadori. Making several standout performances for club and country earned the Italian a move to Napoli in August 2022.

Raspadori joined Napoli in the same season as other notable transfers like Tanguy Ndombélé (CM), Giovanni Simeone, Frank Anguissa (CM), Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Min-jae Kim. As I write this Bio, his football rise has been continuous in a Napoli shirt. The rest, as we say, is now history.

Elisa Graziani – Giacomo Raspadori’s Girlfriend:

Behind the success of the Bentivoglio native comes a glamorous girlfriend who (as I write this Bio) is about to turn his spouse. As far back as 2018, Giacomo Raspadori began dating Elisa Graziani. You’ll get to know more about her in this section.

Getting to know Elisa:

According to our findings, Giacomo Raspadori’s partner is a university graduate. Elisa Graziani was born on the 10th day of March 2000. Regarding her occupation, Raspadori’s partner is a social media manager. She can be contacted via: elisaagraziani@gmail.com

Elisa Graziani is someone who loves her job and routine. In January of 2023, she made a video to show her fans what her day looks like as a Social Media Manager.

Giacomo and Elise are open and honest about their future goals and plans. Enjoying life together is a sign of them having a positive relationship. Judging by the way they (Giacomo and Elise) are going, we are sure that a wedding might be the next formal step.

Personality:

Who is Giacomo Raspadori?

To start with, the Italian footballer is one of the most celebrated footballers in his country’s Emilia-Romagna Region. Raspadori has been given this prestigious award by Stefano Bonaccini, the president of the Emilia-Romagna Region, for his contributions to the sport.

The humble and quiet footballer who combines football with studying sports science at university is an extremely likeable figure. Together with Mikel Oyarzabal, they are living examples of the fact that football talent can be combined with education.

Lifestyle:

Giacomo Raspadori knows the best way to use his time away from the field to unwind, relax, and spend quality emotional time with Elisa Graziani.

Elisa and Giacomo can be seen having fun on one of the best sandy beaches in the world. Taking a dip in the big ocean, lounging on the beach sand and enjoying the warm sun on their skin is the way they like to profess their love.

Away from the hustle and bustle of their careers, the lovers also adore staying at the beachside until sunset. For Elisa and Giacomo, it is always a sweet feeling to experience the cool sunset breeze blowing to their bodies and hear the sound of the evening waves crashing on the shore.

Giacomo Raspadori Family Life:

When it comes to pursuing a football career, having parents and grandparents who are supportive can make all the difference. In the case of Giacomon, his family members went above and beyond to support his dreams. Let’s tell you more about them.

Giacomo Raspadori Father:

Michele reminds us of the father of Pablo Páez, who is the father of Pablo Martín Páez Gavira, also known as Gavi. Pablo Páez, like Giacomo Raspadori’s Dad, decided to work at the academy where his son plays football – so he could offer a hand of support.

Dad Michele began his support for his sons (Enrico and Giacomo) by training them at the old Bondanello church football field. Indeed, those days of making his sons have long practice matches, together with friends and their respective fathers, has indeed paid off.

Giacomo Raspadori Mother:

Similar to her husband, Roberta Raspadori lent a hand to work at the Secretariat of the football academy where her sons played. In addition to that, Giacomo Raspadori’s Mum always wanted him to give his all to his studies. And it worked perfectly!

By doing the above, Giacomo Raspadori’s Plan B was always ready to become his Plan A. His plan A has always been to become a professional footballer, which has worked out thanks to hard work and great family support.

Finishing scientific high school with 79/100 and to have excelled at the Faculty of Sports Science, University of Bologna, implied that his Plan B has worked out. Raspadori gives huge credit to his Mum for making his educational and football dreams come true.

Roberta Raspadori sacrificed by taking her son for football trials when he as a kid. There was once a case with AS Roma where Giomoco and his Mum travelled via the Termini station to Rome. Roberta took turns with her husband and parents to support her sons’ careers.

Giacomo Raspadori Brother:

Enrico might not be the family’s breadwinner, but we know him to be a decent Striker. Giacomo Raspadori’s Brother loves doing what he knows how to do best (Scoring Goals). He has the physique and movement of a true striker.

According to TransferMarkt, Enrico Raspadori plays his football in the Italian Serie D. He plays for ASD Castenaso Calcio, a football club located in the Metropolitan City of Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy.

In addition to being a professional footballer, Enrico Raspadori is also a businessman. He is the founder of the clothing line “The Mera Brand”. Enrico also thinks of studying to become a football coach or agent.

Giacomo Raspadori Grandparents:

Both of them (his gramps and Grammy) did everything in their power to help him become a professional footballer. As noted in our Bio, Raspadori’s granddad drove him to football matches and training in their family’s minibus.

With the Athlete’s grandmother always accompanying them on those trips, the bus (for years) shuttled between Castel Maggiore and Sassuolo. They didn’t just drop him off and go home. Both Raspadori’s grandma and grandpa would wait to cheer him in the stands during his football matches.

Giacomo Raspadori Relatives:

Andrea Graziani, born on March 13, 1998, is a professional basketball player. At the time of writing this Bio, Andrea Graziani is the Athlete’s brother-in-law in the making. He is the brother of Giacomo Raspadori’s wife in the making (Elisa Graziani).

According to ProBallers, Andrea Graziani has a height is six foot four (1.94 meters). His playing position is small forward, and Andrea most recently played for Bologna Basket 2016 in Italy (Serie B Girone A Play-OUT).

Untold Facts:

In the final phase of Giacomo Raspadori’s Biography, we’ll unveil more truths about him. Without further ado, let’s begin.

Giacomo Raspadori Salary:

The contract he signed at Napoli sees him taking home the sum of €‎4,637,099 annually.

How rich is the Italian Forward from Bentivoglio?

Where Giacomo Raspadori’s Parents come from, the average Italian citizen makes 28,500 EUR per year. Do you know?… such a person would need 13 years and six months to earn his monthly wage of €‎386,424. Wow!

Giacomo Raspadori FIFA:

The Athlete has a good balance rating, which reduces his chance of stumbling and falling when challenged by an opponent. Like Jesus Ferreira, and Rasmus Hojlund, Giacomo also excels best in the area of acceleration, as seen in his speed off the mark. Here is photo evidence from Raspadori’s FIFA ratings.

Giacomo Raspadori Religion:

Michele and Roberta, his parents, raised him and his brother (Enrico) in accordance with the Catholic Christianity faith. Catholicism, which is found in the Christian religion, remains a significant part of Italian culture. 96% of Italians are known to be Baptised Catholics.

Summary EndNote:

Giacomo Raspadori arrived in the world on February 18th, 2000. He was born to Michele (his Mum) and Dad, Roberta. Enrico, a footballer, is Giacomo Raspadori’s brother. As a little boy, Giacomo realized that his brothers’ football dream was the same as his.

Every member of his family has done everything to help them (Enrico and Giacomo) become footballers. Starting with Roberta, his Mum, she once worked as the Secretariat of Progresso. This is the football academy both of her sons (Giacomo and Enrico) attended.

Also, in discussing the life of football the family lived, Grandma Raspadori’s Granddad once had a duty. He shuttled his grandson (a 52-minute drive) from Castel Maggiore (where he grew up) to Sassuolo, where he played his football. Raspadori’s Grandmum followed, and she would sit in the stands to support her grandsons while they played football.

Before getting into an academy, Giacomo’s Dad (a soccer coach) had a role in shaping the careers of his sons. Back in the day, Roberta would take his sons to the old Bondanello church, where they would play football with the kids of other Dads (who were present).

As evidenced by the way he played for Progresso, Giacomo was truly born to play football for a living. It was clear from an early age that he (who gave everything on the pitch) had something more than his teammates. Aside from football, Raspadori was very good at his studies.

Education and Football Brilliance:

The Italian footballer is one of few footballers who is studying while playing professional football at the highest level. He enrolled at the University of Bologna (Faculty of Sports Science) to study sports science. In his early years, Giacomo graduated from the scientific high school with a 79/100 grade.

In 2009, Giacomo and Enrico progressed from the football school of the local amateur club Progresso to Sassuolo. The Castel Maggiore native, who was an Inter Milan fan, followed in the footsteps of Samuel Eto’o and Sergio Aguero to find success with his youth career.

Winning the Euro 2020 with Italy is a sign that Giacomo is already enjoying a successful career. More interestingly, he (as of 2023) is part of the Victor Osimhen–led Napoli team, who are favourites to win the Scudetto. Also, behind a successful footballer in Giacomo is a glamorous girlfriend who goes by the name Elisa Graziani.

Final Note:

Aside from the article on Giacomo Raspadori’s Biography, we’ve got other gli Azzurri stories that’ll excite you. Now, have you read the Life Story of Jorginho and Sandro Tonali?

Thank you for taking the time to read our version of Giacomo Raspadori’s Biography. We care about accuracy and fairness in our quest to deliver you Gli Azzurri Football Stories. This content on Raspadori’s Bio is part of our wider collection of European Football Stories.

Please reach out to us (via comment) if you find anything that doesn’t look right in the memoir about the diminutive Italian Forward. Also, tell us what you think about Italy’s next star striker, especially what you think about his career so far.