Gli Azzurri

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Lore & Background

The club was formed in 1926 as Associazione Calcio Napoli following the merger of US Internazionale Napoli and Naples Foot-Ball Club. Napoli saw relatively little success in their early years, not winning their first major trophy until the 1962 Coppa Italia. The club enjoyed increased success in the 1970s and 1980s, winning the 1976 Coppa Italia and reaching new heights following the arrival of Diego Maradona in 1984. During his time with Napoli, the club won their first two league titles, in 1987 and 1990. His seven seasons in Naples also saw them win the 1987 Coppa Italia, the 1990 Supercoppa Italiana, and the 1989 UEFA Cup—their only European trophy. Following Maradona's departure in 1991 however, Napoli struggled financially, and endured relegations and a bankruptcy prior to being re-founded in 2004 by film producer Aurelio De Laurentiis. Napoli returned to Serie A three years later, and have been among the top clubs in Italian football since, winning three Coppa Italia (2012, 2014, and 2020), two Supercoppa Italiana (2014 and 2020), and one Serie A title (2023).

In Their Own Story

The tunnel at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona is narrow, smelling of deep heat and wet grass. A young striker adjusts his socks, the sky-blue fabric stretching tight over his calves. He can hear them before he sees them—a low rumble that grows into a roar, vibrating through the concrete walls. It isn't just noise; it's a physical force. As he steps onto the pitch, the floodlights bleach the world white for a second, then reveal the sea of blue stretching to the horizon. A voice in the stands screams his name, not as a stranger, but as family. He looks up at the tifo, a massive mosaic of Maradona's face, and feels the weight of fifty years of waiting lift from his shoulders. The referee blows the whistle, and for ninety minutes, he is not just a player; he is one of Gli Azzurri.

Reader's Guide

By attendance, Napoli has the fourth-largest fan base in Italy, and was ranked as the fifth-highest-earning football club in Serie A, with $182 million in revenue during the 2017–18 season. In 2018, Forbes estimated Napoli to be worth $379 million, making them the fifth most-valuable club in Italy. Napoli are also one of the associate members of the European Club Association. Since 1959, the club has played its home games at the Stadio San Paolo, which was renamed Stadio Diego Armando Maradona following his death in 2020. Napoli traditionally wear sky blue shirts, white shorts, and sky blue socks at home and white shirts, white or sky blue shorts, and white or sky blue socks away; this is derived from the shirts of Naples FBC and the shorts of Internazionale Napoli after the clubs merged to form Napoli's predecessor Internaples in 1922. Napoli have rivalries with Juventus, Roma (Derby del Sole), Internazionale, AC Milan and Salernitana (Derby of Campania). The club's anthem is 'Napoli', one of the major hits of the Neapolitan singer Nino D'Angelo.

Did You Know?

• Napoli's first major trophy was the 1962 Coppa Italia, won while the club was in Serie B.
• Diego Maradona played for Napoli from 1984 to 1991, leading them to their first two Serie A titles.
• The club was re-founded in 2004 by film producer Aurelio De Laurentiis after bankruptcy.
• Napoli's home stadium was renamed Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in 2020 after his death.