Naples saw a storied revival this season. The city’s club, once propelled to greatness by Diego Armando Maradona in 1990, endured a brutal fall into bankruptcy and dropped to Italy’s lower divisions. Fast forward to this year, Parthenopes, a young squad trained by Luciano Spalletti, built around an Italian-led, multiethnic core, and led by leaders like Giovanni Di Lorenzo, rose again to reclaim the crown. After a season spent near the summit, Napoli emerged as the Italian champions, and the city exploded with joy.
From the outset, the dream was clear. Napoli’s path to the Scudetto was steady and fueled by ambition. Five days before the season’s end, as the final rounds closed, Napoli stood second with 80 points, well ahead of Lazio by 16. They recorded 25 wins, 5 draws, and 3 losses, tallying 69 goals. A remarkable turnaround after years of turmoil, this surge had been visible from the early weeks and grew into a historic run. Rumors swirled for months as Napoli built a growing lead in the standings. Spalletti had promised a title pursuit and he delivered with resolute pace.
Napoli, the city itself, became the stage for celebration. The official moment arrived when Napoli’s draw with Udinese (1-1) secured the final point needed, sealing the title just as the league neared its apex. Lazio finished second, with Sassuolo advancing them in the pecking order after Salernitana briefly delayed Napoli’s triumph. Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen, a rising star of the season, struck in the 52nd minute to clinch the championship for Napoli.
flares and choirs
Joy erupted in streets and alleys as the final whistle sounded. Neighbors lit bright blue fireworks and flares, and fans sang the region’s beloved anthems. One line echoed through the city: a vow never to part from the triumph, a tribute to the volcano’s enduring spirit. The melodies wove through the night, an anthem for every corner of Naples and its squares.
For years, the football story of Italy carried a heavy debt to the South, with the Scudetto mostly claimed by clubs from the North. Yet this season rewrote that chapter. The ache of past disappointments gave way to a shared pride among fans who stood by the team through thick and thin. A resident named Archimedes, 45, framed the victory as a statement of resilience and courage. Another longtime supporter, Luca, 55, spoke of modest means but unshakable belief, noting how the triumph answered skepticism with determination.
maradona
You could sense Maradona’s spirit hovering over the celebrations. The streets of Naples carried the refrain, “+NapuleTriculure” and the city’s triumph was celebrated in vivid, improvised style. The memory of the Argentine legend remains a touchstone for the city’s football identity, still visible in murals and in the hearts of fans who remember the era that defined Naples on the world stage.
New stars rose alongside the club’s legacy. Georgian Jvicha Kvaratshelia, 22; Victor Osimhen, 24; Mexican forward Rodrigo Lozano, 27; and South Korean defender Kim Min-jae, 26, joined the pantheon of Naples’ legends. Together with the leadership of Aurelio De Laurentiis, who has steered the club through the bankruptcy years, the team and city now share a phoenix-like ascent. De Laurentiis spoke after the win, reflecting on the collective effort that carried Napoli to its moment of glory.