At 3 p.m. sharp, under a blazing sun and with the Gulf shimmering in the background, the city of Naples came to a halt. Thousands lined the streets to celebrate Napoli, the city’s top-flight soccer club, after it secured its fourth Italian Serie A title. The team, along with coaches, executives and guests, had just disembarked from the Orion hydrofoil. Head coach Antonio Conte stood at the front, welcomed like a returning Spartan general.
The Campania-based team became champions of Italy Friday night at the end of a championship fought to the last minute with northern rivals Inter Milan, who finished just one point behind. After extensive spontaneous celebrations throughout the region last weekend, the team organized its own parade for Monday afternoon.
The route stretched nearly two miles from Piazza Vittoria to Piazza Sannazaro. More than 1,000 officers from local police, national forces and Carabinieri were deployed, joined by 1,300 stewards and 400 civil protection workers. The area was closed to traffic, with access limited to security checkpoints. Public schools in the First Municipality were shut for the day, along with nearby metro stations and the Mergellina funicular.
Fans began arriving before dawn. By 8 a.m., they were packed against the gates along the waterfront, hoping for a spot near the parade route. Around 150,000 spectators were admitted to the secured zone, while another 50,000 followed the event on four large screens set up throughout the area.
The view from above showed a dense wave of flags and people, a living mosaic of celebration. On the buses, players soaked up the cheers. Matteo Politano, often the voice of the supporters at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, led the chants from atop the vehicle. Conte, glass of champagne in hand, sprayed fans and embraced players one by one.
Banners bearing the slogan “AG4IN,” marking Napoli’s fourth title, filled the air. Alongside them flew a rainbow flag and an image of Daniele, a young fan who had been embraced by the team before passing away. His photo rode with the squad through the heart of the city.
The most unexpected moment came during a live interview with RaiSport. Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis dropped a hint that electrified the crowd.
“De Bruyne? Probably yes. I believe he’s already bought a beautiful villa here in the city. This morning we spoke with him, his wife and their nine-year-old son. A fantastic family, really a triplete,” he said.
Asked for confirmation, De Laurentiis walked it back slightly. “Can we announce it? Not yet. Until there’s a signed contract, we don’t make anything official.” Even so, the crowd responded as if the deal were done.
He also took the opportunity to praise what he called the “Napoli model,” crediting the club’s recent success to a long-term strategy that has delivered two titles in three years. On Conte’s future, amid growing speculation of a return to Juventus, he kept it vague. “Coaches have contracts. If they want to stay, we’ll be happy.”
Despite the turnout, the event ran smoothly. Security forces kept control on land and at sea, with anti-ram barriers installed along the Villa Comunale and patrols watching the harbor. Mayor Gaetano Manfredi said the event was an important test for Naples’ ability to host future large-scale gatherings.
As night fell, the streets remained full. Flares lit up the sky, chants echoed through the neighborhoods from Posillipo to Forcella, and the celebration showed no sign of slowing down. With Kevin De Bruyne possibly on the way, Napoli’s summer party may just be beginning.
