Milan who won numerous trophies in his two seasons there although he made less than 10 league appearances when at Milan. At international level, he represented Italy at two FIFA World Cups (1986 and 1990), and at UEFA Euro 1988
.
Club career
De Napoli began his football career with
Avellino
in the summer of 1983 and stayed with "Lupi" for three years.
A.C. Milan in 1992, winning the scudetto in both of his seasons at the Milanese club (1992–93 and 1993–94), as well as another Supercoppa Italiana winners medal in 1993. In addition to these domestic titles, he won a UEFA Champions League and a UEFA Super Cup in 1994. He was not, however, a first team regular and made only nine league appearances in two seasons for the club.[3][2]
In July 1994, De Napoli moved to
Reggiana. He stayed with the club, who at the time were playing in Serie A, until 1997 when he announced his retirement from playing. He then joined Reggiana's coaching staff where he remained until 2005.[2]
International career
De Napoli won his first cap for the Azzurri on 11 May 1986 for a 2-0 win over
1990 World Cup
, reaching the semi-finals of the latter two competitions.
Style of play
A versatile and well-rounded midfielder, De Napoli was usually deployed as either a central or defensive midfielder. He was adept at winning back possession to support his more creative team-mates while also functioning as a deep-lying playmaker thanks to his range of passing and accurate long balls. He was also deployed on the wing on occasion. A quick, hard-working, and tenacious player, with good technique, he was known in particular for his notable stamina, as well as his excellent man-marking ability, which endowed him with the ability to break down the opposition's play, and subsequently transition the ball from defence to attack. He also possessed a powerful and accurate long-range shot and was known for his ability to make attacking runs and charge forward with the ball from deeper areas of the pitch. His tenacity and combative playing style earned him the nickname "Rambo" from the Napoli fans throughout his career. In addition to his playing ability, he was also known for his fairness and professionalism, often leading his teammates by example.[2][4]
