Nicola Profeta Explained

Nicola Profeta
Fullname:Nicola Profeta Cabrales
Birth Date:27 February 2006
Birth Place:Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela
Height:1.79 m
Position:Defensive midfielder
Currentclub:Santos U20
Youthclubs1:Centro Gallego
Youthclubs2:Garotos de Mello
Youthclubs3:Ciudad Vinotinto
Youthyears4:2017–2023
Youthclubs4:Deportivo Cali
Youthyears5:2024–
Youthclubs5:Santos
Years1:2023–2024
Clubs1:Deportivo Cali
Caps1:2
Goals1:0
Years2:2024–
Clubs2:Santos
Caps2:0
Goals2:0
Nationalyears1:2022
Nationalteam1:Colombia U15
Nationalcaps1:3
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2023
Nationalteam2:Colombia U17
Nationalcaps2:4
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalyears3:2023–
Nationalteam3:Venezuela U17
Nationalcaps3:7
Nationalgoals3:1
Nationalyears4:2023–
Nationalteam4:Venezuela
Nationalcaps4:1
Nationalgoals4:0
Club-Update:24 December 2023
Nationalteam-Update:24 December 2023

Nicola Profeta Cabrales (born 27 February 2006) is a Venezuelan footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for the under-20 squad of Brazilian club Santos and the Venezuela national team.

Early life

Profeta was born in Puerto La Cruz in the Venezuelan state of Anzoátegui to a Venezuelan mother and a father with Italian citizenship.[1] [2]

Club career

Deportivo Cali

Having taken an interest in football from the age of three, Profeta began his career in his native Venezuela with academy sides Centro Gallego de Puerto La Cruz, Garotos de Mello PG and Ciudad Vinotinto FC.[3] [4] In 2017, his family travelled to neighbouring Colombia for a vacation, and while in the country they decided to stay, due to the Crisis in Venezuela.[3] Shortly after making the stay permanent, Profeta joined the academy of professional side Deportivo Cali.[3]

Profeta made his professional debut with Deportivo Cali on 29 November 2023, coming on as a second-half substitute for Juan Castilla in a 2–0 home loss to Deportes Tolima.[5]

Santos

On 7 March 2024, Profeta agreed to a deal with Brazilian club Santos,[6] but his registration was not made on time as the Profeta only had an amateur deal at Deportivo Cali, which delayed the transfer clearance.[7] He was only officially registered in July, and also trained with the first team squad.[8]

International career

Youth

Colombia

Profeta is eligible to represent Venezuela, Colombia and Italy at international level. Having represented Colombia at the 2022 Bolivarian Games, where Colombia finished in third place, Profeta was named in the Colombia under-17 squad for friendlies ahead of the 2023 South American U-17 Championship.[9] He was named captain of the side for the tournament, but his performances failed to impress as Colombia were knocked out in the first round, finishing bottom of their group with only one point.[9]

Venezuela

In July 2023, it was reported that Profeta had switched his international allegiance to Venezuela, accepting an early approach from the Venezuelan Football Federation (FVF) to represent the nation at the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup.[9] [10] This was confirmed on 31 July by the FVF, when Profeta was called up to a training camp at the on Margarita Island.[11] The following month Profeta stated in an interview with Colombian radio network RCN Radio that, despite "taking advantage of the personal opportunity that Vinotinto [had given] him", he had not closed the door to a potential call-up by Colombia in future.[12]

His first action with the Venezuela under-17 side came at a friendly youth tournament in Niigata, Japan, where Venezuela beat the under-18 side of Turkish side Galatasaray, the Turkey under-17 national team, the Japan under-17 national team, a representative side from the Niigata Prefecture and the New Zealand under-17 national team to win the tournament.[13] Despite his earlier comments, in which he stated that he could one day represent Colombia in future, he stated in an October 2023 interview that "Colombia is already the past, that is already behind us" and that he was "building a new future" with Venezuela.[14]

Senior

On 6 December 2023, Profeta was called up to the Venezuela full side for a friendly against Colombia, where the squad was composed mainly of under-23 players.[15] He made his full international debut five days later, coming on as a second-half substitute for Jesús Bueno in the 1–0 loss at the DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.[16]

Style of play

A versatile player, Profeta is capable of playing as a defensive midfielder, central defender, left-back or winger.[13] [17]

Career statistics

Club

Notes

International

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Él es Nicola Profeta: capitán de la selección Colombia sub-17 que jugaría para Italia. This is Nicola Profeta: captain of the Colombia under-17 team who would play for Italy. Diego. Ariza. 17 March 2023. 6 November 2023. Infobae. es.
  2. Web site: Nicola Profeta, capitán de la Sub-17 de Colombia, jugará con Vinotinto. Nicola Profeta, captain of the Colombian U-17, will play with the Vinotinto. Eudo. Torres. 26 July 2023. 6 November 2023. Radio Fe y Alegría Noticias. es.
  3. Web site: El Profeta del fútbol. The football prophet. 6 November 2023. blog.cambridgecali.edu.co. es.
  4. Web site: Nadie es 'Profeta' en su tierra…. Nobody is a prophet in their own land…. 20 March 2023. 6 November 2023. Solovenex. es.
  5. Web site: Nicola Profeta jugó sus primeros minutos en la primera división de Colombia. Nicola Profeta played his first minutes in the first division of Colombia. Sports Venezuela. es. 30 November 2023. 9 February 2024.
  6. Web site: Santos contrata promessas da Venezuela e da Colômbia para o time sub-20. Santos sign prospects from Venezuela and Colombia for the under-20 team. ge. pt-BR. 7 March 2024. 10 July 2024.
  7. Web site: Entenda por que o Santos não pode registrar reforços do sub-20 e por isso só pagará salários em julho. Understand why Santos cannot register additions of the under-20s and that is why they will only pay wages in July. ge. pt-BR. 26 March 2024. 10 July 2024.
  8. Web site: Jogadores da base das seleções colombiana e venezuelana assinam com o Santos e treinam no profissional. Youth players of the Colombia and Venezuela national team sign with Santos and train in the first team. Diário do Peixe. pt-BR. 10 July 2024. 10 July 2024.
  9. Web site: Nicola Profeta, capitán de Colombia sub 17, jugaría con Venezuela. Nicola Profeta, captain of Colombia sub 17, would play with Venezuela. 22 July 2023. 6 November 2023. Diario AS. es.
  10. Web site: Colombia perdería una de sus joyas: muy cerca de cambiar de Selección. Colombia would lose one of its pearls: very close to changing the national team. 22 July 2023. 6 November 2023. FutbolRed. es.
  11. Web site: FVF confirmó que Nicola Profeta se sumará a la convocatoria de la Vinotinto Sub-17. FVF confirmed that Nicola Profeta will join the Vinotinto U-17 squad. 31 July 2023. 6 November 2023. Con El Mazo Dando. es.
  12. Web site: Nicola Profeta: "Nunca le cierro la puerta a Colombia, ni Venezuela, ni en ningún otro lado". Nicola Profeta: "I never close the door to Colombia, nor Venezuela, nor anywhere else". 9 August 2023. 6 November 2023. Pasión X el Deporte. es.
  13. Web site: Nicola Profeta, el canterano campeón con Venezuela. Nicola Profeta, the youth graduate champion with Venezuela. Guillermo. Puerto. 19 September 2023. 6 November 2023. Futbolete. es.
  14. Web site: Nicola Profeta: "Colombia ya es pasado, eso ya quedó atrás". Nicola Profeta: "Colombia is already in the past, that is already behind us". 24 October 2023. 6 November 2023. La Liga de los Talentos. es.
  15. Web site: Venezuela con la Sub 23 para enfrentar a Colombia. Venezuela with the under-23s to face Colombia. Diario AS. es. 6 December 2023. 9 February 2024.
  16. Web site: Colombia es superior a Venezuela y lo vence por 1–0. Colombia is superior than Venezuela and beat them 1–0. TNT Sports. es. 10 December 2023. 9 February 2024.
  17. Web site: Deportivo Cali: ¡Es el momento de Nicola Profeta!. Deportivo Cali: It's Nicola Profeta's time!. Guillermo. Puerto. 18 October 2023. 6 November 2023. futbolete.com. es.