Twenty years ago, football in Naples seemed like a faded memory. The club had gone bankrupt, in liquidation, and an entire generation of fans who had lived through the Maradona era found themselves without a team.
In this desolate scenario, Aurelius emerged De Laurentiis, a historic film producer, who decided to dive into a football adventure of which, up until that moment, he knew nothing. He bet on the rebirth of a city hungry for redemption and hit the mark.
It was the summer of 2004, when De Laurentiis bought Napoli, after the failure of Luciano Gaucci's attempt to take over the club. He invested 32 million euros and started from Serie C1, with a clear promise: “A new era begins.
We will ensure that this club can recreate the brilliant image of the past, providing satisfaction and entertainment”. The road to success was long, but today Napoli is among the leading teams in Italian football, with three Coppa Italia, one Supercoppa and the historic 2023 Scudetto, the third in the club's history. De Laurentiis has transformed Napoli into a stable and competitive reality.
After two years in Serie C1, the club reached Serie B and then Serie A, entering by right among the greats of Italian football. Since then, Napoli has participated in 14 consecutive seasons in Europe, nine of which in the Champions League. “It is with pride that I celebrate these first 20 years of extraordinary journey”, De Laurentiis declared on social media. “Together we have brought Napoli to the top in Italy and Europe.”
The relationship with the fans has been characterized by ups and downs.
The love for the team has been constant, but there has been no shortage of protests against the president, especially in difficult moments. However, De Laurentiis has given Naples years of great football, with the arrival of stars like Hamsik, Lavezzi, Cavani and Higuain.
The “San Paolo”, renamed “Maradona” by the president, has seen champions who have left an indelible mark on the club’s history. De Laurentiis’ first transfer market started late, but thanks to the work of sporting director Pierpaolo Marino, Napoli built its comeback.
Calaiò, Pià and the Argentine Roberto Sosa were among the first protagonists of the new course. Over time, the club began to invest heavily to compete at the highest levels.
Cavani's arrival, for 17 million euros, marked a turning point: Napoli returned to the Champions League and began to aim ever higher. Over the years, other champions wore the blue shirt: Insigne, Mertens, Higuain and, more recently, Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia.
The team led by Luciano Spalletti made the dream of an entire city come true, winning the 2023 Scudetto with a group of extraordinary players such as Kim Min-Jae, Di Lorenzo, Zielinski and Politano. Napoli was inflamed with joy, and fans from all over the world celebrated a success that had been awaited for over 30 years.
After the triumph, however, came a more disappointing season, which pushed De Laurentiis to invest again. With the arrival of the new sporting director Giovanni Manna and the hiring of Antonio Conte on the bench, the president spent 150 million on the market to relaunch the club.
The De Laurentiis era, which gave Naples an unprecedented footballing renaissance, is far from over.
Article published on 10 September 2024 - 19:55
