Luca Ricci (Canadian soccer)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Luca Ricci

| fullname = Luca Salvatore Ricci

| image =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|2|23|df=yes}}

| birth_place = LaSalle, Quebec, Canada

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| height = 1.75m

| position = Midfielder

| youthyears1 = 2015–2018

| youthclubs1 = Montreal Impact

| collegeyears1 = 2021–

| college1 = Montreal Carabins

| collegecaps1 =

| collegegoals1 =

| years1 = 2018

| clubs1 = Montreal Impact

| caps1 = 0

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2018

| clubs2 = → Phoenix Rising (loan)

| caps2 = 4

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2019

| clubs3 = Ottawa Fury

| caps3 = 0

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2019

| clubs4 = → Montreal Impact (loan)

| caps4 = 0

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2021

| clubs5 = FC Lanaudière

| caps5 = 5

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2022

| clubs6 = Pacific FC

| caps6 = 6

| goals6 = 0

| nationalyears1 =

| nationalteam1 =

| nationalcaps1 =

| nationalgoals1 =

| pcupdate = September 18, 2022

| ntupdate = February 2, 2018

}}

Luca Salvatore Ricci (born February 23, 1998) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder.

Club career

Ricci began his career with the Montreal Impact Academy.{{cite web|url=https://journalmetro.com/local/lachine-dorval/1416582/lachine-lad-goes-pro/|title=Lachine lad goes pro|date=February 19, 2018|work=Métro|first=David|last=Cox}}

Ricci was loaned to Phoenix Rising FC for the 2018 season on February 2, 2018.{{cite web|url=http://www.phxrisingfc.com/news_article/show/882746?referrer_id=2717359|title=Midfielder Luca Ricci Joins Phoenix Rising Football Club|publisher=Phoenix Rising FC|date=February 2, 2018}} He signed with Ottawa Fury FC on February 1, 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.ottawafuryfc.com/news_article/show/990879|title=Meilleur-Giguère Returns To Fury FC For 2019; Young Luca Ricci Added|publisher=Ottawa Fury FC|date=February 1, 2019|accessdate=February 1, 2019}} He joined the Fury's MLS-affiliate Montreal Impact on an emergency loan under the Emergency Hardship Rule.{{cite web|url=https://www.impactmontreal.com/en/post/2019/06/04/midfielder-luca-ricci-joins-montreal-impact-short-term-contract|title=Midfielder Luca Ricci joins the Montreal Impact on a short-term contract|date=June 4, 2019|work=Montreal Impact}}

In 2021, he began playing university soccer for the Montreal Carabins, while also playing in the semi-pro PLSQ with FC Lanaudière.{{Cite web|work=Just eSoccer|url=https://justesoccer.com/equipe-canada/cpl-plusieurs-joueurs-universitaires-ont-franchi-le-pas-vers-le-professionnalisme/|language=fr|trans-title=CPL: Guillaume Pianelli, Julien Bruce, Quentin Paumier and Luca Ricci selected!|date=January 20, 2022|title=CPL : Guillaume Pianelli, Julien Bruce, Quentin Paumier et Luca Ricci sélectionnés !}}

At the 2022 CPL-U Sports Draft, he was selected 8th overall by Pacific FC.{{cite web|url=https://www.timescolonist.com/sports/pacific-fc-selects-montreals-ricci-uvics-goertzen-in-cpl-u-sports-draft-4978745|title=Pacific FC selects Montreal's Ricci, UVic's Goertzen in CPL U Sports draft|first=Cleve|last=Dheensaw|date=January 21, 2022|work=Times Colonist}} On May 12, 2022, he signed a U Sports contract with Pacific.{{cite web |author1=John Jacques |title=Draft Pick Luca Ricci Inks Deal With Pacific |url=https://northerntribune.ca/pacific-fc-luca-ricci/ |publisher=Northern Tribune |access-date=12 May 2022 |date=12 May 2022}} He departed the club at the end of the season.{{cite web|url=https://northerntribune.ca/pacific-fc-mavila-ricci-leave/|title=Pacific Departures Continue With Mavila And Ricci|date=November 8, 2022|work=Northern Tribune|first=John|last=Jacques}}

International career

In 2017, he was called up to a Quebec-Canada U20 team to play friendlies against Haiti U20, who were preparing for the 2017 Jeux de la Francophonie.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tvasports.ca/2017/07/07/limpact-u18-bien-represente-dans-la-selection-canada-quebec|title=L'Impact U18 Bien Représenté dans la Sélection Canada-Québec|language=fr|work=TVA Sports|date=July 7, 2017|trans-title=The Impact U18 Well Represented in the Canada-Quebec Selection}}

Personal life

Ricci was born in LaSalle, Quebec, Canada to Italian parents. His mother was born in Calabria, Italy. He speaks English, French and Italian.{{Cite web|url=https://www.canadasoccer.com/profile/?id=4314|title=Luca Ricci Canada Soccer profile|work=Canadian Soccer Association}}