SSC Napoli
the Partenopei Elite.

SSC Napoli First-Team Squad

Massimiliano Allegri takes charge for 2026/27, succeeding title-winning Antonio Conte, and inherits a star-studded squad led by captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo. Kevin De Bruyne and Scott McTominay drive a midfield of real quality, with Romelu Lukaku and Rasmus Højlund providing the goals up front.

Squad correct as of the summer 2026 window, which runs until 1 September — numbers and personnel may change. Follow every Napoli fixture and prediction at AI Pro Prediction and our Champions League predictions hub.

SSC Napoli: A Complete Guide to the Partenopei

Origins and Identity

Società Sportiva Calcio Napoli was founded in 1926 in the vibrant southern Italian city of Naples. Representing a passionate, football-mad city with a fierce sense of identity and pride, Napoli have always been far more than a football club to their supporters — they are a symbol of the soul of Naples and the wider Italian south. The club plays in distinctive sky-blue shirts, giving rise to the nickname Gli Azzurri (the Blues) and I Partenopei, a reference to Parthenope, the ancient Greek settlement that became Naples.

The club’s spiritual home is the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, renamed in 2020 in honour of the greatest player ever to wear the sky-blue shirt, following his passing. Formerly known as the Stadio San Paolo, the ground is a cauldron of noise and emotion on matchdays, reflecting the deep and unbreakable bond between the club and the people of Naples. Few clubs in world football enjoy such an intense, almost spiritual connection with their city and supporters. To be a Napoli supporter is to inherit a way of life, a passion woven into the very fabric of the city, where football is not merely a sport but a central pillar of local identity and pride.

The Maradona Era: A Legend Is Born

Napoli’s history is defined above all by one man: Diego Maradona. When the Argentine genius — widely regarded as one of the two greatest footballers of all time — arrived in 1984 for a world-record fee, he transformed a modestly successful club into champions of Italy and heroes of the south. Maradona led Napoli to their first-ever Serie A title in 1986–87, an achievement of monumental significance for a club and city that had long felt overshadowed by the wealthy powers of northern Italy.

Maradona inspired Napoli to a second Scudetto in 1989–90, as well as the club’s first major European trophy, the UEFA Cup in 1989, and the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana. This golden period, coinciding with Maradona’s peak and his heroics for Argentina at the 1986 World Cup, elevated Napoli to legendary status and made Maradona an eternal icon in Naples, revered almost as a deity. Murals and shrines to him adorn the city to this day, a testament to a love affair that transcends football.

Conquering Italy from the South

The significance of Napoli’s triumphs under Maradona cannot be overstated. For decades, the Serie A title had been the near-exclusive preserve of the wealthy clubs of the industrial north — Juventus, Milan and Inter. When Napoli, representing the often-overlooked and economically challenged south, won the Scudetto in 1987, it was a seismic cultural and social event, a triumph for an entire region against the established order of Italian society and football. The celebrations in Naples were unprecedented, with the city coming to a standstill in joyous, prolonged festivity.

Maradona became a symbol of southern pride and defiance, a folk hero whose impact reached far beyond the football pitch. His genius on the field — the dribbling, the vision, the free-kicks and the sheer force of his will — dragged Napoli to heights the club had never before reached. That era remains the reference point against which all subsequent Napoli success is measured, and the emotional foundation of the club’s identity to this day.

Decline, Rebirth and Return to Glory

After Maradona’s departure, Napoli endured a difficult period, culminating in financial collapse and bankruptcy in 2004, which saw the club refounded in the lower divisions. Under the ownership of film producer Aurelio De Laurentiis, Napoli embarked on a remarkable journey back to the top, climbing from Serie C back to Serie A and re-establishing themselves as one of Italy’s leading clubs through shrewd management and astute recruitment.

The club’s rebirth was crowned in spectacular fashion in 2022–23, when Napoli, inspired by the brilliance of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen and managed by Luciano Spalletti, won their third Serie A title — their first in 33 years since the Maradona era. The triumph sparked wild, prolonged celebrations across Naples and represented the fulfilment of a generation’s dream, finally freeing the club from the long shadow of its greatest legend and proving Napoli could conquer Italy once more.

The Conte Scudetto of 2025

Just two years after ending their 33-year wait, Napoli scaled the summit again. Under the demanding, meticulous management of Antonio Conte — one of the most successful coaches in modern Italian football — Napoli won the Serie A title in 2024–25, their fourth Scudetto. Conte, a serial winner with Juventus, Inter and Chelsea, brought his trademark intensity, tactical organisation and winning mentality to Naples, moulding the squad into champions once more.

Winning two titles in the space of three seasons transformed Napoli’s status entirely. No longer a club chasing a distant, Maradona-era dream, the Partenopei had become a modern Italian superpower, capable of competing for and winning the biggest domestic prize on a regular basis. This sustained success at the very top of the Italian game represented the culmination of two decades of careful rebuilding and established a new golden era for the club and its supporters.

Full Honours and Achievements

Napoli’s trophy cabinet reflects a club that has scaled the heights of Italian and European football:

• Serie A: Four-time Italian champions (1986–87, 1989–90, 2022–23 and 2024–25).
• Coppa Italia: Multiple Italian Cup triumphs across the club’s history.
• UEFA Cup / Europa League: Winners in 1989, the club’s crowning European achievement.
• Supercoppa Italiana: Winners on several occasions.
• Serie B & Serie C: Titles won during the club’s remarkable climb back to the top after its refounding.

The fourth Scudetto, won in 2024–25 under Antonio Conte, confirmed that Napoli’s recent success was no one-off but the mark of an established Italian powerhouse. Two league titles in three seasons represented the most successful period in the club’s history since the days of Maradona, and cemented Napoli’s status among the elite of the Italian game. It was a stunning achievement for a club that had been rebuilt from the ashes of bankruptcy less than two decades earlier.

Legendary Players Through the Ages

While Diego Maradona towers above all others in Napoli’s history, the club has been graced by many other outstanding players. The Maradona-era side featured talents such as Careca and Bruno Giordano, who formed a fearsome attacking trident alongside the Argentine. In the modern era, striker Marek Hamšík became the club’s all-time appearance record holder and top scorer, a beloved one-club servant who embodied the spirit of Napoli through the years of rebuilding.

The 2022–23 title-winning side introduced a new generation of heroes, including the mercurial Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and the Nigerian goal machine Victor Osimhen. Today, the club boasts a star-studded squad captained by the dependable full-back Giovanni Di Lorenzo and featuring genuine world-class quality in Belgian maestro Kevin De Bruyne, one of the finest midfielders of his generation, alongside Scotland’s dynamic Scott McTominay and forwards Romelu Lukaku and Rasmus Højlund.

Rivalries and Passionate Support

Napoli’s most intense rivalry is with the northern giants, particularly Juventus, a fixture that carries deep cultural and historical significance rooted in the north-south divide of Italian society. Matches between Napoli and Juventus are among the most charged in Serie A, laden with symbolism and passion. The club also contests heated derbies with other southern and central sides, and every home match at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona is an event of extraordinary intensity.

The support of the Napoli tifosi is legendary, ranking among the most passionate and loyal in all of world football. Through the years of decline, bankruptcy and rebuilding, the fans never abandoned their club, and their unwavering devotion was rewarded with the glory of the recent Scudetti. The sea of sky-blue, the deafening noise and the emotional intensity of the Napoli crowd make the Maradona stadium one of the most intimidating venues in Europe.

The De Laurentiis Era and Club Structure

The modern Napoli has been shaped entirely by the ownership of Aurelio De Laurentiis, the film producer who took control of the bankrupt club in 2004 and rebuilt it from the lower divisions into a Serie A powerhouse and Italian champion. De Laurentiis has run the club with financial discipline and a canny eye for talent, frequently signing players who go on to become stars and generating significant profits in the transfer market while keeping Napoli consistently competitive at the highest level.

This sustainable model, combined with shrewd managerial appointments and a clear sporting vision, transformed Napoli into one of the best-run clubs in Italy. The two Serie A titles won in 2023 and 2025 represent the ultimate vindication of De Laurentiis’s long-term project, restoring the club to the summit of the Italian game and re-establishing Napoli as a genuine force at home and in Europe after decades of struggle following the Maradona years.

Playing Style and Club Culture

Napoli have, in their most successful modern eras, been associated with vibrant, attacking and technically excellent football that mirrors the passion and creativity of the city they represent. The 2022–23 champions under Spalletti played some of the most thrilling football seen in Italy for years, while Conte’s 2024–25 title winners combined tactical discipline with clinical efficiency. This blend of flair and pragmatism reflects the club’s evolution into a complete, competitive force.

The culture of the club is inseparable from the culture of Naples itself — intense, emotional and utterly devoted. The Stadio Diego Armando Maradona becomes a wall of sound on the biggest occasions, and the connection between the team and the tifosi is among the most powerful in world football. Playing for Napoli means carrying the hopes and dreams of an entire city and region, a responsibility that inspires players to give everything for the sky-blue shirt.

The 2025–26 Season and the Arrival of Allegri

The 2025–26 season saw Napoli enjoy another strong campaign under Antonio Conte, finishing second in Serie A behind champions Inter and securing qualification for the 2026–27 UEFA Champions League. A 1–0 victory over Udinese on the final day, with a decisive goal from Rasmus Højlund, confirmed their runners-up spot in a season that reinforced Napoli’s status as one of the leading clubs in Italy.

However, immediately after the season, Conte announced his departure from the club, bringing his successful two-season spell to a close. In response, Napoli moved decisively to appoint the highly experienced Massimiliano Allegri, one of the most decorated managers in Italian football, on a long-term contract until June 2029. Allegri, a serial title-winner with Juventus and AC Milan, arrives with a mandate to challenge for the Scudetto and to make a serious impact in the Champions League. For all the latest Napoli match previews, team news and score forecasts, follow our Champions League match predictions throughout the season.

European Ambitions

Having re-established themselves as one of Italy’s leading clubs, Napoli’s ambitions have increasingly turned to the Champions League, where the Partenopei have enjoyed some memorable nights but are yet to make a truly deep run in the modern format. The club reached the quarter-finals in recent years, announcing themselves on the biggest stage, and the appointment of a serial winner in Massimiliano Allegri signals a clear intent to compete more seriously in Europe’s premier competition.

The signing of Kevin De Bruyne, one of the finest midfielders of his generation, was a statement of Napoli’s growing stature and ambition, bringing genuine world-class experience and quality to the squad. Combined with the goalscoring threat of Romelu Lukaku and Rasmus Højlund and the energy of Scott McTominay, the Belgian gives Napoli a squad capable of troubling the very best Teams in Europe. For a club and city that live and breathe football with such intensity, success in the Champions League would represent the next great chapter in the Napoli story.

The Stadio Diego Armando Maradona

The renaming of the Stadio San Paolo to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in 2020, following the legend’s death, was a fitting and emotional tribute to the man who gave the city its greatest sporting memories. The stadium, located in the Fuorigrotta district of Naples, holds over 50,000 supporters and generates an atmosphere of rare passion and intensity. On European nights and against the big rivals, it becomes a spectacular sea of sky-blue, with flares, banners and deafening noise creating one of the most hostile and inspiring environments in world football.

For the people of Naples, the stadium is a sacred place, forever associated with Maradona and the glory he brought. It stands as a monument not only to the club’s history but to the profound cultural importance of football in the life of the city. Every match played there is imbued with the emotion and history of a club that means everything to its supporters, and the ground remains a fortress that visiting teams approach with genuine trepidation.

A Club That Represents a City

Perhaps more than any other club in Italy, Napoli embody the identity, hopes and pride of their city. In a region that has historically felt marginalised within Italy, the football club serves as a powerful source of unity, joy and self-belief. The triumphs under Maradona and in the modern era have been celebrated not merely as sporting achievements but as victories for Naples itself, moments of collective catharsis and pride for an entire population.

This deep, almost sacred bond between club and city is what makes Napoli unique. The passion is inherited across generations, passed from parent to child as a fundamental part of Neapolitan identity. It is this extraordinary emotional connection, allied to the club’s growing on-field success and ambition, that makes Napoli one of the most compelling and beloved institutions in world football as they embark on their latest chapter under Massimiliano Allegri.

Looking Ahead

As Napoli enter the 2026–27 season, the ambitions are high: to reclaim the Serie A title from Inter, to make a genuine mark in the Champions League, and to build on the most successful period in the club’s history since the days of Maradona. With Massimiliano Allegri’s proven pedigree, the world-class quality of Kevin De Bruyne, the leadership of captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo and the goals of Lukaku and Højlund, Napoli have every reason for optimism. For a club that carries the passion of an entire city on its shoulders, and whose history is illuminated by the greatest player ever to grace the game, nothing less than a sustained challenge for the biggest honours will satisfy the demands of the fervent Partenopei support as they chase glory at home and in Europe. With the foundations laid by two Scudetti in three years, a squad enriched by world-class additions and a coach whose entire career has been defined by winning silverware, Napoli approach the new season with genuine belief that the golden era of the 2020s still has many glorious chapters left to write.