Vinicio Espinal

{{short description|Dominican football player|bot=PearBOT 5}}

{{family name hatnote|Espinal|Marte|lang=Spanish}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Vinicio Espinal

| image =

| fullname = Vinicio Edwards Espinal Marte

| height = 1.78 m

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1982|11|14}}

| birth_place = Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

| currentclub = Gozzano (head coach)

| clubnumber =

| position = Midfielder

| years1 = 1999–2004 | caps1 = 14 | goals1 = 0 | clubs1 = Atalanta

| years2 = 2003 | caps2 = 1 | goals2 = 0 | clubs2 = → Taranto (loan)

| years3 = 2003–2004 | caps3 = 28 | goals3 = 3 | clubs3 = → Palazzolo (loan)

| years4 = 2004–2007 | caps4 = 81 | goals4 = 13 | clubs4 = Monza

| years5 = 2007–2008 | caps5 = 59 | goals5 = 11 | clubs5 = Crotone

| years6 = 2009–2011 | caps6 = 72 | goals6 = 3 | clubs6 = Portosummaga

| years7 = 2011–2013 | caps7 = 46 | goals7 = 2 | clubs7 = Pro Vercelli

| years8 = 2013–2014 | caps8 = 24 | goals8 = 0 | clubs8 = Benevento

| years9 = 2014–2015 | caps9 = 18 | goals9 = 0 | clubs9 = Unione Venezia

| years10 = 2015–2016 | caps10 = 6 | goals10 = 0 | clubs10 = Lecco

| years11 = 2016–2017 | caps11 = 48 | goals11 = 2 | clubs11 = Pontisola

| years12 = 2017–2020 | caps12 = 82 | goals12 = 11 | clubs12 = Virtus Bergamo

| years13 = 2020–2021 | caps13 = | goals13 = | clubs13 = Mapello

| manageryears1 = 2021 | managerclubs1 = Mapello

| manageryears2 = 2022–2023 | managerclubs2 = Ospitaletto

| manageryears3 = 2023 | managerclubs3 = Folgore Caratese

| manageryears4 = 2024 | managerclubs4 = Gozzano

| manageryears5 = 2024–2025 | managerclubs5 = Real Calepina

| nationalyears1 = 2004–2019 | nationalcaps1 = 5 | nationalgoals1 = 0 | nationalteam1 = Dominican Republic

| pcupdate = 6 November 2017

| ntupdate = 24 March 2019

}}

Vinicio Edwards Espinal Marte (born 14 November 1982 in Santo Domingo) is a Dominican former football player and current coach. A former Serie A player, he is the twin brother of José Espinal and also holds Italian nationality.

Club career

Edwards emigrated to Italy in 1991, where he played with Serie A team Atalanta. He moved to Calcio Portogruaro Summaga in Serie C1 during January 2009.{{cite web|publisher=Tutto Calciatori|title=Espinal Marte Edwards Vinicio - Carriera - stagioni, presenze, goal|url=http://www.tuttocalciatori.net/Espinal_Marte_Edwards_Vinicio|access-date=2009-05-26}}

International career

Espinal is a holding midfielder and has several caps under his belt for the Dominican Republic.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}}

He also holds an Italian passport.{{citation needed|date=January 2010}}

Coaching career

In May 2021, Espinal, while still playing with them, was promoted new head coach of Eccellenza amateurs Mapello.{{cite web |language=it |accessdate=3 September 2021 |date=6 May 2021 |url=https://www.tuttocampo.it/Lombardia/BG/News/1416405/eccellenza-esonerato-ceribelli-a-mapello-al-suo-posto-vinicio-espinal |publisher=Tuttocampo |title=Eccellenza, esonerato Ceribelli a Mapello. Al suo posto Vinicio Espinal}}

On 15 July 2021, he left Mapello to accept an offer from Lazio to become a member of Maurizio Sarri's coaching staff.{{cite web |language=it |accessdate=3 September 2021 |date=15 July 2021 |url=https://www.tuttocampo.it/Lombardia/BG/News/1428210/mapello-espinal-passa-alla-lazio-di-sarri-joelson-sara-il-nuovo-allenatore |publisher=Tuttocampo |title=Mapello, Espinal passa alla Lazio di Sarri. Joelson sarà il nuovo allenatore}}

On 10 June 2022, after having spent a season as an assistant coach for the Lazio Under-19 team, Espinal was announced as the new head coach of Eccellenza amateurs Ospitaletto.{{cite web |language=it |accessdate=30 December 2022 |date=10 June 2022 |url=https://www.acospitaletto.it/il-nuovo-allenatore-dellospitaletto-e-vinicio-espinal/ |publisher=A.C. Ospitaletto |title=Il nuovo allenatore dell'Ospitaletto è Vinicio Espinal}}{{cite web |language=it |accessdate=30 December 2022 |date=10 June 2022 |url=https://www.bergamoesport.it/lex-atalanta-vinicio-espinal-e-il-nuovo-allenatore-dellospitaletto/ |publisher=Bergamoesport.it |title=L'ex Atalanta Vinicio Espinal è il nuovo allenatore dell'Ospitaletto}}

On 31 May 2023, Serie D club Crema announced the hiring of Espinal as their new head coach for the 2023–24 season;{{cite web |language=it |accessdate=12 January 2024 |date=31 May 2023 |publisher=La Provincia di Cremona |url=https://www.laprovinciacr.it/news/sport/415024/calcio-vinicio-espinal-e-il-nuovo-allenatore-del-crema-1908.html |title=Calcio. Vinicio Espinal è il nuovo allenatore del Crema 1908}} however, the appointment was not formalized eventually, and Crema announced later in July to have parted ways with Espinal.{{cite web |language=it |

accessdate=12 January 2024 |date=6 July 2023 |publisher=La Provincia di Cremona |url=https://www.laprovinciacr.it/news/sport/417952/crema-con-mister-espinal-e-divorzio.html |title=Crema, con mister Espinal è divorzio}} A few days later, he was unveiled as the new head coach of fellow Serie D club Folgore Caratese.{{cite web |language=it |accessdate=12 January 2024 |date=11 July 2023 |publisher=Folgore Caratese |url=https://www.folgorecaratese.it/prima-squadra/vinicio-espinal-nuovo-allenatore-della-folgore-caratese/ |title=Vinicio Espinal nuovo allenatore della Folgore Caratese}} He was dismissed, together with his assistant and brother José Espinal, on 6 October 2023.{{cite web |language=it |accessdate=12 January 2024 |date=6 October 2023 |publisher=Folgore Caratese |url=https://www.folgorecaratese.it/prima-squadra/comunicato-ufficiale-u-s-folgore-caratese/ |title=Comunicato ufficiale U.S. Folgore Caratese}}

On 1 March 2024, Espinal was hired by Serie D club Gozzano as their new head coach.{{cite web |language=it |accessdate=15 May 2024 |date=1 March 2024 |publisher=Folgore Caratese |url=https://www.tuttocampo.it/News/1631957/serie-d-girone-a-gozzano-il-nuovo-allenatore-della-prima-squadra-e-vinicio-espinal |title=Serie D, girone A: Gozzano, il nuovo allenatore della Prima squadra è Vinicio Espinal}} He left Gozzano by the end of the season after guiding them to safety, then accepting the head coaching role at fellow Serie D club Real Calepina.{{cite web |language=it |accessdate=9 June 2025 |date=1 June 2024 |url=https://www.bergamoesport.it/ufficiale-vinicio-espinal-e-il-nuovo-allenatore-della-real-calepina/ |publisher=Bergamo & Sport |title=UFFICIALE – Vinicio Espinal è il nuovo allenatore della Real Calepina}} He departed from Real Calepina by the end of the season, after a positive campaign with the club.{{cite web |language=it |accessdate=9 June 2025 |date=15 May 2025 |url=https://www.bergamoesport.it/ufficiale-real-calepina-vinicio-espinal-non-sara-piu-lallenatore/ |publisher=Bergamo & Sport |title=UFFICIALE – Real Calepina, Vinicio Espinal non sarà più l’allenatore}}

Honours

=Player=

; Portogruaro

References

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