The nomad footballer whose heritage spans four different nations
In short: Born in Sweden to a Romanian father and an Afro-Brazilian mother, Nicolao Dumitru's life is a map of global movement. From the Italian Serie A to the leagues of South Korea and Thailand, his career reflects a journey of profound cultural and geographic diversity.
Nicolao Dumitru's identity is as multifaceted as his professional journey. Born in Nacka, Sweden, on 12 October 1991, his ancestry allowed him to play for various nations: Sweden by birth, Brazil via his mother, Romania through his father, or Italy by residency. His family moved to Empoli, Tuscany, in 1998, where he eventually began his professional football career.
His career has been defined by constant movement across diverse footballing landscapes. After starting at Empoli in the 2008–09 Serie B season, he was signed by the Serie A club S.S.C. Napoli in August 2010 at age 18 and 11 months. While he struggled to secure a permanent spot in the Napoli first team, making only nine Serie A appearances, his career has since taken him through various leagues. He has played in Greece for Veria, England for Nottingham Forest, Spain for AD Alcorcón and Gimnàstic de Tarragona, Italy for Livorno, Romania for Gaz Metan Mediaș and UTA Arad, Israel for Bnei Sakhnin, Thailand for Buriram United, Malaysia for Johor Darul Ta'zim, and Indonesia for PSS Sleman.
Beyond the pitch, Dumitru's career has touched on the social complexities of the sport. While playing for Veria in 2014, he was the victim of derogatory and racist remarks from Horacio Cardozo during a match against Kerkyra. Although the incident was reported by the club, the Hellenic Football Federation found Cardozo not guilty due to a lack of strong evidence.
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