Nicola Caricola (born 13 February 1963) is an Italian former footballer who played as a sweeper.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1963-02-13) 13 February 1963 (age 59) | ||
| Place of birth | Bari, Italy | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Bari | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1981–1983 | Bari | 70 | (2) |
| 1983–1987 | Juventus | 59 | (0) |
| 1987–1994 | Genoa | 201 | (6) |
| 1994 | Torino | 4 | (0) |
| 1994–1995 | Genoa | 24 | (0) |
| 1996 | MetroStars | 26 | (2) |
| National team | |||
| 1982–1984 | Italy U21 | 10 | (4) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
At club level, Caricola played for Bari, Juventus, Genoa, and Torino in Italy. In 1995, he had an unsuccessful trial with English side Aston Villa. He finished out his career with the New York / New Jersey MetroStars of Major League Soccer, playing with them during the league's inaugural season in 1996. Although Caricola played well for the team, he is most remembered for the own goal he scored in the dying seconds of the club's first home game, a 1–0 loss to New England Revolution.[1] He retired in February 1997.[2]