Naples celebrates its fourth league title for several days

A wave a jubilation swept Naples as it celebrated a historic 4th Serie A title. McTominay’s and Lukaku’s goals sealed Napoli’s dramatic win over Cagliari in their own stadium, making them champions at the end of one of the most closely contested seasons of recent memory.

Inter Milan won their final match against Como, but finished just one point behind.

The final whistle caused a flood of emotions to erupt in the entire city. In a chaotic but euphoric celebration, motorbikes, fireworks and flares filled the streets. The sky in Naples turned crimson as thousands of fans spilled onto the streets.

It is the second time that Napoli has won a title without Diego Maradona. The club’s iconic figure, who helped them win their first two Scudetti back in the 1980s and 1990s. On Saturday, the 24th of May, fans continued to gather in the shrines dedicated to the Argentine icon, singing his name, and reliving their past glories.

This title is more than just football

It is a symbol of pride, resilience and resiliency for the southern Italian region which has been historically underrepresented on the honours list. In modern times, Napoli has won four Scudetti and Cagliari one. This latest victory is a defiant declaration from the South in a country that is often marked by regional differences.

In Naples, football is more than just a sport. Football in Naples is more than just a sport. It’s about identity, defiance and a sense of collective redemption. The team’s bond with the city is based on shared hardships and history, and it fuels an almost spiritual passion. This connection explains the intense scenes that were witnessed in Naples after the final match.

More than 50,000 spectators packed the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium. Hundreds of thousands others watched the match on large screens installed by local authorities in the entire city. The celebrations continued into the evening and Saturday morning, but there were some incidents. Local media reported four arrests, nearly 100 injuries, mainly due to alcohol and fireworks accidents. One stabbing was also reported.

Security services prepared extensive measures in light of the chaos that ensued after Napoli’s title win of 2023, which included hundreds of injuries and a death. The celebrations will continue until Monday. On an open-top coach, the players are expected parade the trophy around the city. The squad will meet the Pope on Tuesday, according to club president Aurelio de Laurentis.

One million people took the streets

Local authorities estimate that about one million people went out on the streets in Naples and its surroundings Friday night. But the celebrations caused political controversy. Gian Marco Centinaio, vice president of the Senate, stirred debate with a Facebook post—later deleted—citing “120 injuries, assaults, robberies, guns and knives”. “Something is not right,” he wrote. “And thank goodness they won—otherwise we might be facing civil war.”

Gaetano Manfredi of Naples responded, praising Naples’ conduct. “There were only nine thefts reported in the entire metropolitan region, no serious medical emergency, and a few overindulgent people. We witnessed extraordinary civic behavior. Naples has grown enormously and we need to acknowledge that. We are proud Neapolitans. We’re proud of our people, we’re proud of our city.

Centinaio clarified later that he did not intend to insult Napoli or their fans. He pointed out that his son is a fan of the team. He insisted, however, that disorder was not an excuse: “We have to distinguish between support and vandalism as well as criminality.” We cannot conceal the criminality and vandalism behind the first two.

He also criticised the Napoli fans who gathered outside of the opposing team’s hotel on the night before the game, and launched fireworks and made noise to disturb the players’ sleep.

Stay tuned with for the latest news about Europe and Italy.