1. Overview
Hans Nicolussi Caviglia, born on June 18, 2000, in Aosta, Italy, is an Italian footballer who plays as a midfielder. A dedicated product of the esteemed Juventus youth academy, Nicolussi Caviglia has steadily progressed through the professional ranks, making his senior debut for the club's main team in Serie A. His professional journey has been characterized by crucial loan spells at various Italian clubs, including Perugia, Parma, FC Südtirol, Salernitana, and most recently Venezia, where he is currently on loan from Juventus with an obligation to buy. Despite facing significant setbacks due to severe injuries, particularly to his knees, Nicolussi Caviglia has consistently demonstrated remarkable resilience and a commitment to returning to his best form. On the international stage, he has proudly represented Italy across multiple youth levels, participating in significant tournaments such as the 2017 UEFA European Under-17 Championship and the 2019 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, and has also been called up to training camps for the senior national team, highlighting his recognized talent and potential.
2. Early Life and Youth Career
Hans Nicolussi Caviglia was born on June 18, 2000, in Aosta, a city in the Aosta Valley region of northwestern Italy. From an early age, Nicolussi Caviglia showed considerable promise in football. At the age of eight, he joined the youth academy of Juventus, one of Italy's most prestigious football clubs. Within the renowned Juventus youth system, he underwent extensive development, progressing through various age-group teams. This period was crucial for his foundational training, shaping his skills and tactical understanding as a midfielder and preparing him for a professional career in the sport.
3. Club Career
Hans Nicolussi Caviglia's professional club career began with his progression through the Juventus youth ranks, leading to his senior debut and subsequent loan spells at several Italian clubs, often overcoming significant injury challenges.
3.1. Juventus Youth and Senior Debut
Nicolussi Caviglia made his professional debut in Serie C for Juventus U23 on September 27, 2018. This appearance came in a match against Cuneo, where he entered the game as an 88th-minute substitute, replacing Idrissa Touré. His continued development within the Juventus system culminated in his senior debut for the main Juventus team in Serie A on March 8, 2019. In this match, a 4-1 home victory over Udinese, Nicolussi Caviglia came on as a late substitute for fellow young talent Moise Kean.
3.2. Loan Spells and Injury History
Following his debut with Juventus, Nicolussi Caviglia embarked on a series of loan spells to gain more first-team experience, a period that was significantly impacted by recurring injuries.
3.2.1. Perugia
On September 2, 2019, Nicolussi Caviglia joined Serie B club Perugia on loan. During his time at Perugia, he made 29 league appearances and scored one goal. He also featured in one Coppa Italia match, where he scored another goal, and made two appearances in the Serie B relegation play-outs. This spell provided him with consistent playing time in a competitive environment.
3.2.2. Parma
On October 5, 2020, Nicolussi Caviglia moved to Serie A side Parma on a loan deal. He made his debut for Parma in the Coppa Italia on October 28, 2020, starting in a 3-1 home victory against Pescara. However, his tenure at Parma was cut short by a severe injury. On December 15, during a training session, he suffered an ACL tear, an injury that forced him to end his season prematurely. Prior to this injury, he had made only two appearances for Parma, both in the Coppa Italia, including a 2-1 win against Cosenza on November 25.
His injury struggles continued after the ACL tear. On August 18, 2021, he suffered a meniscus tear. He eventually returned to competitive play on November 3, 2021, for Juventus U23 in a Coppa Italia Serie C match against Südtirol. He came on as a substitute in the 58th minute and remarkably scored a goal just four minutes later, marking his return to the pitch after a significant absence since November 2020. Despite this positive return, Nicolussi Caviglia sustained another knee injury on November 20, 2021, during a match against Fiorenzuola, which again kept him out of action for an extended period. He finally returned to the field on May 4, 2022, in a match against Pro Vercelli. Showing signs of recovery, he was called up to the Juventus first team on May 10, 2022, for the 2022 Coppa Italia Final.
3.2.3. FC Südtirol
On July 12, 2022, Nicolussi Caviglia was sent on loan to Serie B club Südtirol. This loan spell proved to be a turning point for him, as he regained his form and made a significant impact on the team. Under coach Lamberto Zauli, he played 17 matches and scored two goals, contributing positively to Südtirol's performance. A notable highlight of his time there was on October 22, when he scored the winning goal against his former club Parma, firing a shot into the top corner in the 29th minute to secure a 1-0 victory. His strong performances at Südtirol led to his recall by Juventus on January 5, 2023.
3.2.4. Salernitana
Upon his recall by Juventus on January 5, 2023, Hans Nicolussi Caviglia immediately joined fellow Serie A club Salernitana on loan for the remainder of the season. This transfer included an option and counter-option for a permanent move, indicating a step up to a higher division. During his time at Salernitana, he made 12 league appearances and scored one goal.
3.2.5. Venezia
On August 22, 2024, Venezia announced the signing of Hans Nicolussi Caviglia on loan from Juventus. The agreement included an obligation for Venezia to buy him permanently. As of early 2025, he has made 21 league appearances for Venezia, scoring four goals.
4. International Career
Hans Nicolussi Caviglia has represented Italy at various youth international levels, showcasing his talent on the national stage from an early age.
He received his first call-up to the Italy U17 in December 2016. He was subsequently included in the squad for the 2017 UEFA European Under-17 Championship. During the tournament, he made one appearance and scored a goal against Spain, although Italy did not progress beyond the group stage.
Following his time with the U17 squad, Nicolussi Caviglia was called up to the U18 and U19 squads for friendly matches. With the Italy U19 squad, he participated in the 2019 UEFA European Under-19 Championship.
On October 13, 2020, he made his debut for the Italy U21 squad. He played as a substitute in a qualifying match against the Republic of Ireland in Pisa, which Italy won 2-0.
In December 2022, Nicolussi Caviglia was invited to a training camp organized by the manager of the Italian senior national team, Roberto Mancini. This camp was specifically designed to assess and develop promising national football talents, signaling his recognition as a potential future asset for the senior national team.
5. Career Statistics
This section provides a tabular overview of Hans Nicolussi Caviglia's official appearances and goals for both his club teams and national teams throughout his career.
5.1. Club Statistics
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
| Club | Season | League | Coppa Italia | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Juventus U23 | 2018-19 | Serie C | 8 | 0 | - | - | 8 | 0 | ||
| 2021-22 | 2 | 0 | - | 5 | 1 | 7 | 1 | |||
| Total | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 15 | 1 | ||
| Juventus | 2018-19 | Serie A | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 3 | 0 | |
| 2023-24 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 10 | 0 | |||
| Total | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | ||
| Perugia (loan) | 2019-20 | Serie B | 29 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 32 | 2 |
| Parma (loan) | 2020-21 | Serie A | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 2 | 0 | |
| Südtirol (loan) | 2022-23 | Serie B | 17 | 2 | 1 | 0 | - | 18 | 2 | |
| Salernitana (loan) | 2022-23 | Serie A | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | 12 | 1 | |
| Venezia (loan) | 2024-25 | Serie A | 21 | 4 | 0 | 0 | - | 21 | 4 | |
| Career total | 95 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 108 | 9 | ||
The "Other" appearances for Juventus U23 in the 2021-22 season include one appearance and one goal in the Coppa Italia Serie C, and four appearances in the Serie C promotion play-offs.
5.2. International Statistics
Appearances and goals by national team, year and competition
| Team | Year | Competitive | Friendly | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Italy U17 | 2016 | - | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 1 | |
| Total | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 1 | |
| Italy U18 | 2017 | - | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | |
| 2018 | - | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 8 | 2 | |
| Italy U19 | 2018 | - | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 1 | 0 | - | 1 | 0 | ||
| Total | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| Italy U21 | 2020 | 1 | 0 | - | 1 | 0 | |
| Career total | 7 | 1 | 16 | 2 | 23 | 3 | |
6. Honours
Hans Nicolussi Caviglia has achieved the following honours with his club:
- Juventus
- Serie A: 2018-19
- Coppa Italia: 2023-24