Whilst being treated to a VIP Experience at Stamford Bridge watching Leeds United with the Meadows Bro’s. I became acquainted with my now friend Chris. As with all trips a WhatsApp group was created and in the following months various destinations were discussed in the ‘Wouldn’t that be great place for a Footy Trip?’ conversation. But one that popped up time and time again was Napoli! A vibrant city with a deep and colourful history. It was becoming a more common city break destination and add to that a famous football team living one of the greatest moments in their history. Now was the time to get this ball rolling.
Decision made
We opted for the final weekend of the season to visit hoping that we’d be there to witness a piece of Neapolitan history. With Chris’ contact in the ticket touting world we were confident we would get tickets one way or another. Hotels and flights were booked and after much discussion, the next Footy Trip was on. Given I was in Berlin for a stag do the weekend before there seemed little point coming home in between so this gave me a few days spare for sightseeing. With such an extensive history in the city itself and around the rest of the Campania region it was a simple decision to fly straight to Napoli.
In Berlin I managed to catch up with my old Neapolitan friend Serena, combined with my good friend Fran having spent a lot of time in the region I had plenty of advice on where to go and what to see.
Edgy Vibes
When talking about Napoli in the lead up to the trip, a few people had raised concerns about the ‘sketchiness’ of the city, particularly in the vicinity of the main station. On arrival I had my wits about me and could instantly understand the reasons for the advice. But, for all the edginess and hustle and bustle, people kept themselves to themselves and no one bothered me, you just need to be ready to dodge out of the way of a weaving moped at the drop of a hat.
The highlight of Day One was to be a stroll around the ancient ruins of Pompeii but first I made time for a tour around the centres historic sites. Walking tours are always a perfect way to get a city break going, as well as fascinating facts about the history there is also opportunity to meet fellow tourists if your mood suits.
Origin of the nickname
The tour began at the impressive Castel Nuovo, first built in 1279, a residence for many a ruling monarch over the centuries. Ten minutes along the coast from here is where we get the original name for the city. According to Greek mythology, a siren, Parthenope, despite her beautiful voice failed in her attempts to seduce the Greek King Odysseus. This rejection led to her throwing herself into the sea only to be washed up on the coastline where the Castel dell’ovo is now situated. When the Greeks arrived, in homage to the story they named the city Parthenope in the 9th Century BC. To this day the nickname ‘I Partenopei’ is still given to the football team. A few hundred years later the Greeks renamed the city ‘Neapolis’, literally ‘New City’ and from this we get the modern day Napoli.
Throughout its fascinating history this city has been ruled by the Greeks, Byzantines, Aragonese, Spanish, Bourbons, Duchy of Naples, Kingdom of Naples, Kingdom of Sicily and then finally the Kingdom of Two Sicilys until the Resorgimento in 1861 which unified Italy as one country for the first time. On that occasion Nottingham Forest legend Guiseppe Garibaldi arrived here with his Red Shirt Army and organised a Plebiscite that was one of the most crucial steps in the unification of Italy.
Off to Pompeii
Post tour finding myself at Piazza Garibaldi in front of the main station, I hopped on one of the eye-catching trains along Italy’s first railway to the Ancient ruins of Pompeii. For just 4 Euros you can travel anywhere on the Circumvesuviana which stretches as far south as Sorrento. Half an hour later I rolled up at one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world. Entry usually needs to be booked in advance, tickets are just under £20 and there is also space to leave your luggage for free as well.
The end for Pompeii
Back in 79 AD, Pompeii was a flourishing resort for the elite of the Roman Empire. By its side was the imposing Mount Vesuvius, unbeknownst to the locals it was in fact a volcano that had lain dormant for 1800 years. On August the 24th that year, the volcano erupted. The blast could be seen for 100’s of miles around as ‘hot avalanches of rock, ash, and gases sped down the volcano’s flank’. Many died from the initial blast but the following morning, a “pyroclastic flow”—a 100-miles-per-hour blast of superheated gas and pulverized rock—poured down the side of the mountain and vaporized everything and everyone in its path, leaving a death toll well into the 1000’s.
Not until 1748 was the site discovered by a group of explorers, the layers of ash from the initial eruption had ensured many buildings and even bodies were incredibly well preserved. Much was learnt about the history of this age and the findings even inspired a new wave of neo classical architecture and design.
Herculaneum
The next day I visited an alternative town to Pompeii. Herculaneum is a much smaller but arguably better preserved archaeological site. The beauty of this is its proximity to Mount Vesuvius and the two can easily be visited in one day with a bit of planning. Again, worth booking ahead in the busier months.
Getting to the top of Vesuvius itself only takes 30 minutes once the bus drops you off near the top, so it is incredibly easy to access and the views of the Bay of Naples are well worth it. It also puts into perspective the fact that there is always a risk of further eruptions and the scale of the potential damage to the 3 million people living in and around Napoli.
Picturesque views
After the days activities I was heading back to Sorrento, a beautiful town with stunning views out to sea with some wonderful sunsets. Not ideal for travelling alone, much more of a couple, honeymoon kind of vibe with day trips available to picturesque yet overly crowded islands of Capri and Ischia, not for me, especially when over 25 degrees. Back on the mainland I found an Irish pub where I could sit down to enjoy Sevilla win their record extending 7th Europe League title and sink a few Guiness. It wasn’t such a bad place after all.
Three days of seeing some amazing sites and 50 miles of walking but it was finally time to meet the lads who were arriving that night. Making my now daily trip on the Circumvesuviana train, this time it was all the way back to the city. From Sorrento to Napoli, there were blue ribbons and banners on every building and down every street. It wasn’t just a one club city, it felt like a one club region, a region united by its own Neapolitan language, still spoken by millions of people, the pride in the streets was palpable. Due to Napoli’s relentless winning streak and no genuine challenge, the Serie A title was wrapped up well in advance of our arrival. This meant there was a stress free, celebratory mood around the place.
Back to Napoli
Finally I landed back in Napoli, back in the 1500’s this was the second biggest city in Europe behind Istanbul and also the largest in the Spanish Empire during their rule, hence the Quartieri Spagnoli, The Spanish Quarter, constructed to house the Spanish soldiers and now 500 years later, the main tourist area in which we found our accommodation. Our place at Piazza Bellini was an absolute dream, the highlight being a rooftop balcony above the square which was a hub of activity preparing for the Friday night festivities. A perfect place for me to relax while awaiting the arrival of the other lads.
Morning came and it was FA Cup Final day, the simple plan for the day was to stroll around the city with beers in hand, soak up the vibes, pick up some delightful food and watch some footy. What more could you want in a day? A credit to the vibrancy of Napoli that we lost track of time and on finally remembering the FA Cup was on, it was already 1-0 to Man City. We tried several options around the city centre but it appeared that despite us believing the world revolved around English football, there was simply nowhere showing the game, despite the best efforts of a few bars and bookies to accommodate. So we relaxed with a Peroni at Piazza Dante and followed by text as Man City added part two of their eventual treble.
The best pizza in the world
Napoli is famed for being the home of pizza, there are options to queue for an hour for ‘the best’ in town but with amazing cheap food everywhere you turn we weren’t willing to wait. We took our seats at Bellini Napoli and washed down the stunning food with a couple of Aperol Spritz. With intentions of being fresh for the big day we enjoyed the vibes for a little longer before bringing some drinks up the rooftop to make the most of the accommodation and take in the views.
Maybe not as fresh as we intended but we were up early for the big day. An glorious occasion in Napoli’s long history. Football was introduced to the city as often is the way, by English sailors. Initially the Italian League was just for the Northern teams but eventually the Southern teams were allowed to play with the big boys of the north. After various mergers and name changes Associazione Calcio Napoli came into being in 1926, the new name and new league set up didn’t bring any success as they finished that year with just 1 point leading to the nickname ‘I Ciucciarelli’ – The little Donkeys, a name they proudly keep to this day.
Throughout the week and particularly on match day as we made our way to the ‘main’ Maradona shrine, it was clear that he was treated as a God. What to say about Diego Armando Maradona.
Diego Armando Maradona
In 1984, the most expensive player in the world was Maradona, playing for Barcelona after signing from Argentinean giants Boca Juniors. Despite being at one of the best teams in the world, Maradona never really felt at home in Catalunya. On leaving Barcelona he could have had his pick of teams but he wanted somewhere he felt he belonged. And no place in Europe could have been more fitting than Napoli. When Barcelona increased the already world record breaking asking price at the last minute, the people of Napoli raised the additional £500,000 required.
Already Maradona felt the love. In the children of the city and the fans of Napoli, Maradona saw himself. Passion, poverty, pure love of football, being looked down upon by others, he knew exactly how these people felt due to his own tough upbringing in the slums of Buenos Aires. When 70,000 people turned up to his unveiling at the San Paolo stadium, it was clear the feeling was mutual.
“I want to become the idol of the poor children of Naples because they are like I was when I lived in Buenos Aires,”
At the time Serie A was by far the strongest and richest league in the world, having finished a point above the relegation zone the season before, Napoli needed inspiration. And that is exactly what he provided scoring goals from the off. 14 goals and a much improved 8th place finish was just the start of things to come.
The Hand of God
In 1986 ‘El Pibe de Oro’ took his game to new heights and carried his country to their second World Cup win, disposing of England along the way in one of the greatest matches in World Cup history. He carried that momentum straight into the season with Napoli. 1987 is the year that Maradona confirmed his legacy and God like status. Since El Resorgimento there had been a great divide between the rich industrial north of Italy and the poverty stricken agricultural south. On the pitch there was a similar divide, racism towards the south was prevalent and the teams of Turin and Milan alone had won a combined 51 titles, and in the south of the country….Zero.
Against all odds
What greater inspiration for the best player in the world, the animosity only made him stronger. In the space of 3 seasons Maradona had inspired Napoli from near relegation to the pinnacle of Italian football, the streets of Napoli fell silent as everyone gathered around a TV to witness the first team of Southern Italy to earn that title in the 57 year history of Serie A. Not only that but they completed the double after dominating Atalanta in the Coppa Italia final. A success that was celebrated for months on end in Napoli and one Maradona himself considered more meaningful than the World Cup win.
“For me, this title means a lot more than winning the World Cup,” El Pibe said at full time. “I won a youth World Cup in Tokyo and I won the World Cup in Mexico last year but on both occasions I was alone, I had no friends with me. Here, all my family, the city of Naples are with me because I consider myself a son of Naples.”
Italia 90 showdown
A year later combining with the front line of Giordano and Careca, a trio poetically known as MA-GI-CA. He added the 1989 UEFA Cup to the Napoli honours list and also sealed Napoli’s second title which nicely led into the much anticipated Italia 90. As fate would have it, Maradona’s Argentina came up against hosts Italy in the Semi-Final, and what more tantalising venue than Napoli’s home ground, The Stadio San Paolo, Maradona’s second home. After years of racism and abuse he encouraged the locals to support his native Argentina.
“I don’t like the fact that now everybody is asking Neapolitans to be Italian and to support their national team,” he said ahead of the match. “Naples has always been marginalised by the rest of Italy. It is a city that suffers the most unfair racism.”
Argentina’s victory on penalties led to hatred throughout the rest of the country, not only that but his off-field misdemeanours began to grate on the hierarchy at Napoli. Thus began his decline, as well as his advancing years, now 30, the national press went after him and his transgressions were no longer hidden from the media. Just months later, a positive drugs test and subsequent ban brought the curtain down on his time at Napoli and one of the greatest stories in football history, sadly, he would never quite be the same again.
‘D10S’
Despite his occasional lack of professionalism in going AWOL at key moments, womanising, partying and other extra-curricular activities he is unquestionably the greatest player of his generation and many of that era will still insist, the greatest of all time. He single handedly took his team to a World Cup victory and almost a second. He dragged a city from the lower echelons of Serie A and brought a huge sense of pride and inspiration that led them to previously unknown heights and he left more than a legend, a God, un Dios, a man who is worshipped in a similar way to San Gennaro, the patron saint of Napoli.
The Main Maradona mural was sort of en route to the stadium so we took a little detour….but so did thousands of others, the tight narrow streets of the Spanish Quarter were full to the brim of people wanting to feel the moment in such an iconic place. We got the briefest of views but the heat and congestion meant it wasn’t a pleasant spot to be hanging around so we set off on the 90 minute walk to the stadium.
Back from the brink
There was blue everywhere, it’d been 33 years since the last title, a post Maradona demise, relegation to Serie B and subsequent bankruptcy in 2004 left the club on the brink of extinction. But in stepped local film maker Aurelio De Laurentis to purchase the club for £30 million. A bold move as they were now down in Serie C1, but most importantly, football in Napoli would live on. Despite the drop the loyal fanbase stuck by them and they still had the 3rd highest average attendance in Italy behind the two Milan clubs. 3 years later, back to back promotions saw Napoli return to the top flight, back where they belonged. The recovery continued under Mauricio Sarri but even a haul of 91 points in 2017/18 wasn’t enough to surpass the relentless Juventus.
Cue the miracle season of 2022/23, Luciano Spalletti had assembled a squad of unlikely heroes, the now world class striker Victor Osimhen leading the charge, the mercurial Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia who was picked up for a mere 13 million Euros, a genuine superstar who takes the nickname ‘Kvaradona’ in his stride. Add to this the recent exits of club legends, Insigne, Mertens, Koulibaly, Ruiz, Milik. Not many were predicting a Napoli title challenge but against all odds they won it at a canter. A lack of credible challenge from any of their rivals as well as consistent scintillating football that at one point even threatened to conquer the whole of Europe, was more than enough to take the Scudetto back to the south of the country.
Joining the party
Back to the celebrations and the atmosphere outside the stadium was wild. Thousands of people singing and dancing in the street, many trying to get high vantage points to enjoy the best views of the revelling crowds. One could only imagine the scenes in 1987 or the night Napoli sealed this 3rd title.
A few beers were consumed in the street before we tried to make our way into the stadium. The tickets had arrived safely, sent with our names and passport details on but until inside, these kind of transactions are always nervy. A word of advice that in Napoli and in general in Italy, passports are normally required on entry to the stadium.
All went smoothly, we were inside, and in a nice coincidence, as we entered a series of firecrackers went off, only heightening the sense of excitement. The time had finally come to see this iconic stadium in action.
Retro stadium
After 11 years under construction it was finally opened in 1959 ahead of the Rome Olympics the following year. The 4th biggest in Italy at just under 55,000 capacity. It’s most famous game was the aforementioned 1990 Semi-Final where Argentina defeated the hosts. On his death in 2020 the council agreed that the Stadio San Paolo was to be renamed the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in honour of the greatest player ever to grace this pitch.
Despite several renovations over the years, the stadium looked quite tired and many would say in need of a little TLC but as a purist I absolutely loved the old school nature of the stadium. Once inside there was a distinct lack of control or security but there were no issues, just an energetic mood with people scaling the walls, assisted by friends to get themselves up to the second tier. It soon became clear why they were so keen when we saw the views.
Happy vibes
As with many games abroad, it can be a bit of a free for all in terms of finding seats so we just went for any where we found space for 5. It is always a nervous moment to see how you will be received as tourists but the people around us were very welcoming. The opening question “Where are you from?” was quickly followed by “And how the f**k did you get tickets?” Everyone was in good spirits and ready to enjoy a memorable day for the club
Once in our seats the atmosphere was tremendous, glorious sunshine and 51,000 happy people living the dream. Singing, chanting and enjoying the experience of their lives. The speakers blasted out the now famous Napoli anthem of ‘Life is life’ famed as the background to Maradona’s legendary warm up vs Bayern Munich in the 1989 Uefa Cup Semi Final. In homage to that great moment, the camera captured the modern day Neapolitan hero, Victor Osimhen as he carried out his nonchalant warm up.
Terrible views
And for the game itself, the already champions versus the already relegated Sampdoria. Given we had the worst view I’d ever experienced at a football ground, we watched most of it through the big screens that were in place for the post-match show. The first half was low in action but enjoying the atmosphere amongst the fans was more than enough. The kiosk selling packs of beer maintained the raw authentic feel to the place and kept us well-oiled as the game progressed
In an emotional twist, the 52nd minute withdrawal of Sampdoria striker Fabio Quagliarella spelled the end of a fantastic career. One of the great modern day players to hail from the Campania region. He came to play for Napoli after making his name elsewhere in Serie A and the fans were ecstatic to welcome their homecoming hero. Sadly after just one season, he was the victim of stalking, blackmail and manipulation. Encouraged to keep it quiet by his closest confidant, he was driven out of Napoli, ending up at huge rival Juventus of all places.
A twist in the tale
Understandably he was vilified by the fans and they didn’t hesitate to let him know every time he returned. Eventually one of the most heart-breaking stories of Italian football was made public when it was revealed that the close confidant had actually been the architect behind the campaign of abuse. Once all was known, he was once again respected by the Partenopei. For him to finish his career in tears to a standing ovation at his home stadium was a fitting end for a man with 182 Serie A goals.
As the second half wore on, Osimhen was taken out whilst through on goal and duly converted the resulting spot kick. Napoli continued to dominate and 5 minutes before the end, appropriately an Argentinean, Giovanni Simeone, thundered home a magnificent strike from 30 odd yards out. In celebration, he held up the retired Napoli number 10 shirt of Diego Maradona.
The crowning of Champions
The final whistle was blown and the curtain came down on what was an astounding season for Napoli. A staggering 16 points clear of second place Lazio. Any fan over 35 would be experiencing their first Serie A title, the emotion amongst the fans was clear to see with many a grown man in tears. A moment of sheer pride and elation as Giovanni Di Lorenzo lifted the Scudetto. It meant the world to them to be back on top of the pile and with it a thoroughly satisfying two fingers to the rivals in the north.
Post-match we enjoyed a concert of the greats of Neapolitan music. A beautiful experience and a pleasure to witness but after a long day there’s only so many songs you’ve never heard before that you can sit through so we bode our farewells and headed back to the chaos of the streets.
Back home for a nightcap
We made our way back to the centre on the Metro which houses some of the world’s most beautiful stations and enjoyed a few more relaxed beers with some locals. One passionate fan wearing a jacket brazenly stating ‘Odio Roma’, I hate Roma. Also proudly declaring that he was not Italian but Neapolitan, it made me think of Napoli as Italy’s version of Liverpool.
Another epic football trip had come to an end, a real pleasure to have visited such a great club in a moment that will live forever in the memories for all that experienced it.
As always I will rate Napoli as a footy trip out of 100
Summary
Team Ability – Champions of the 4th best league in the world and playing beautiful football – 9/10
Atmosphere – A full and passionate stadium with banners and waving flags throughout. A great atmosphere from start to finish– 8/10
Stadium Quality – A stadium named after arguably the greatest player of all time, although a great experience in a retro stadium, the athletics track takes away from the views and in reality it could do with an upgrade – 6/10
Beer/Food at stadium – Packs of beer could be bought from the one man kiosk and a few snacks but no hot food, most importantly beer can be consumed in your seat – 7/10
Tourism – Napoli is a Unesco place of outstanding universal value, world famous tourist sites at Pompeii and Vesuvius as well as the beautiful resorts and islands further south in Sorrento – 9/10
Accessibility – Although not so cheap when we went, with enough planning, there are nicely priced flights available and the food and beer are good value when you arrive – 8/10
People – Within the stadium we met only friendly chatty people, likewise in the streets, a really pleasant experience in general – 8/10
Stadium Surroundings – A fair walk from the centre but not so bad on metro, not a huge amount around the stadium but street sellers provide sufficient food and drink to entertain – 6/10
History – Winners of the 1989 UEFA Cup as well as 3 Italian titles, not a huge haul but just the story of Maradona creates a unique aura around this club – 7/10
Ease/Cost of ticket pricing – This game was a bit of a one off, tickets are available but not too easily given the teams current success – 5/10
Total – 73/100
Overall, a brilliant score, a city and club well worth a visit for anyone planning a Footy Trip, so much charm and character. Great food and well-priced beer, add to that a top level team playing free flowing attractive football. What more could you want in a footy trip.
Accomplishments
No real personal accomplishments on this trip but that’s my 3rd stadium visited in Italy (3/20)
And one step closer to my goal of seeing all teams in the Top 5 leagues (15/96)
Until the next Footy Trip, ciao for now