SSC Napoli was founded on 1 August 1926 in the city of Naples under the name "Associazione Calcio Napoli" as a result of the merger of "Naples Football Club" and "Internazionale Napoli" teams. The team has been playing its home matches at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, which has a capacity of 54,726 spectators, since 1959.
While it is the most successful team in Southern Italy, it is the 4th club with the most supporters in Italy. Additionally, the club is a member of the European Club Association, which was established to replace the G-14.
The team won the Italian League 4 times, the Italian Cup 6 times, and the Italian Super Cup 3 times, winning a total of 13 local cups. In addition, the team also has UEFA Cup success, which it has won once in Europe.
History
Foundation and early years (1926โ1960)
SSC Napoli was founded in the city of Naples in 1926 under the name "Associazione Calcio Napoli". The club was created with the aim of representing Southern Italy on the national football stage and competed between Serie A and Serie B in its early years. During this period, Napoli showed an unstable appearance in terms of sports and could not gain the identity of a team playing in the top ranks.
II. During the World War, it negatively affected the sports and financial structure of Naples. Club activities have been limited due to the interruption of league organizations and economic difficulties. After the war, Napoli was restructured and continued with the aim of becoming permanent in the professional leagues.
First trophies (1960โ1984)
The 1960s are considered the period when Napoli became permanent in Serie A. During this period, the club became a stable league team and achieved the first major national cup in its history by winning the Coppa Italia in the 1961-62 season. The club appears to be a club that is pushing for the top positions in this period, but cannot be permanent in the championship race.
The team changed the name "Associazione Calcio Napoli", which it used until 1964, to "Societร Sportiva Calcio Napoli" that year. In the 1970s, it became one of the strongest teams in the league. In these years, the club was the 1975-76 Coppa Italia champion and the Coppa Italia finalist in 1971-72 and 1977-78. The team ranked high in the league, finished the league in 2nd place in the 1967-68 and 1974-75 seasons, and participated in European cups during these periods. This period laid the groundwork for Napoli to make a big leap forward.
Golden age: Maradona era (1984โ1991)
The 1980s are considered a turning point in the history of Naples, the brightest period in its history. By adding Diego Armando Maradona, who would later give his name to the stadium and whose number was retired, in July 1984, the club experienced a major transformation not only in sports but also in cultural and social terms.
Under Maradona's leadership, Napoli won the league championship in the 1986-87 and 1989-90 seasons, reaching their first league championship in the club's history, while the 1986-87 Coppa Italia, 1988-89 UEFA Cup and 1990 Supercoppa Italiana championships were also won during this period. In addition, the team finished the league in 2nd place in the 1987-88 and 1988-89 seasons and became the 1988-89 Coppa Italia finalist.
This period is considered a period in which Napoli changed the traditional balance of power in Italian football.
Decline and financial problems (1991โ2004)
Napoli went into decline both sportingly and financially after Maradona's departure. Throughout the 1990s, the club went through a difficult period due to managerial instability and increasing debts. This process resulted in the club's bankruptcy and relegation to Serie C in 2004.
Stability period (2004โ2020)
The club, which was purchased by Aurelio De Laurentiis in 2004, was restructured under the name "Napoli Soccer", and in 2006 it returned to the name "Societร Sportiva Calcio Napoli". The club rose from Serie C to Serie A in a short period of 3 seasons and started to be at the top level of Italian football again. This period is a period in which the club gained financial discipline and institutional structuring.
After unsuccessful years, Napoli has been regularly in the top tier of Serie A since the 2010s and has become one of the permanent participants in the European cups. Although the club was in the league championship race in the 2012-13, 2015-16, 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons, it finished the league in 2nd place behind Juventus in all seasons.
During this period, the club won the Italian Cup 3 times, 2011-12, 2013-14 and 2019-20, and the Italian Super Cup 1 time, 2014, and became a Supercoppa Italiana finalist in 2012 and 2020.
Resurgence and present (2020โ)
After the team finished the 2020-21 season in 5th place, Luciano Spalletti, who was appointed before the start of the 2021-22 season, brought Napoli back to the center of the championship race. The club finished the 2021-22 season in 3rd place, and in the 2022-23 season, it collected 90 points in the league and displayed a dominant performance, reaching its 3rd championship in its history after 33 seasons.
In the same season, although Napoli reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League this season, they were eliminated by losing to Milan 2-1 with the aggregate score at the end of the two matches. Napoli lost 1-0 to Internazionale in the final of the 2023 Italian Super Cup. At the end of the season, Spalletti left his position for personal reasons.
After Spalletti's departure, there were short-term periods of Rudi Garcia, Walter Mazzarri and Francesco Calzona, but the club could not achieve stability in the league and European cups. Unable to achieve stability in the following season, Napoli finished the league in 10th place with 53 points, and in the UEFA Champions League, they lost 4-2 to Barcelona in two matches and bid farewell to the tournament in the last 16 rounds.
After a negative season, Antonio Conte was appointed as coach at the beginning of the 2024-25 season. Napoli, which went through changes in terms of staff again under the management of Conte, entered a championship race with Internazionale that lasted until the last week and finished the season as champion with 82 points, one point ahead of Inter, and won the league championship for the 4th time in the club's history.
This success was the club's second championship in the last three seasons and showed that Napoli had regained its place at the top of Italian football in the modern era.
The club, which announced that it would continue with Antonio Conte for the 2025-26 season, eliminated Milan 2-0 in the semi-finals of the 2025 Supercoppa Italiana, played in December during the season, and beat Bologna 2-0 in the final, taking this cup to its museum for the 3rd time. Napoli, which was eliminated by Como in the quarter-finals of the Coppa Italia, came second in the league with 76 points, 11 points behind Internazionale.
This season, the team finished the league stage of the UEFA Champions League in 30th place with 8 points and bid farewell to the tournament in the league stage.
Staff
- As of 19 August 2024
Football players on loan
- As of January 23, 2026
Coat of arms and colors
The club has used blue and white colors since its founding in 1926. When the club was established, the color "Azzurro" (light blue) was preferred to represent the sea and sky, based on the nature of the city of Naples, while the color white was preferred because it symbolized purity and simplicity.
Rivalry and fans
Napoli has one of the most passionate fan communities in Italy. Club fans have a wide spread throughout Southern Italy, especially in Naples, and globally. Napoli fandom is strongly associated not only with sporting achievements, but also with the historical, social and cultural identity of the city. In this context, over time, the club has become a symbolic representation within the framework of the North-South Italy distinction.
Napoli's main fan groups are located in the Curva A and Curva B stands, which are considered one of the most effective ultras cultures in Italy, with choreographies, banners and chants. The continuation of fan support even during periods when the club went bankrupt and struggled in the lower leagues is considered one of the distinguishing features of Napoli's fan culture.
The club's main rivalries are with Roma and Juventus, and these matches attract attention with both their sporting and social dimensions. The team also has rivalries with Lazio and Milan, and has an important rivalry with Internazionale due to their recent championship fight in the league. On the other hand, Napoli fans also have historical friendly relations with the fans of some clubs, especially Genoa.
Good luck
ย Italy
Serie A
- Champion (4): 1986-87, 1989-90, 2022-23, 2024-25
- Second (9): 1967-68, 1974-75, 1987-88, 1988-89, 2012-13, 2015-16, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2025-26
Coppa Italia
- Champion (6): 1961-62, 1975-76, 1986-87, 2011-12, 2013-14, 2019-20
- Finalist (4): 1971-72, 1977-78, 1988-89, 1996-97
Supercoppa Italiana
- Champion (3): 1990, 2014, 2025
- Finalist (3): 2012, 2020, 2023
Europe
- UEFA Cup
- Champion (1): 1988-89
