On 11 May 1987, Napoli became the first team from southern Italy to win Serie A. We spoke to fans, artists and writers about the man who made it happen

Diego Maradona’s exquisite technique, poise and breathtaking ability on the ball made him one of the greatest players of all time. But for fans of Napoli, Maradona is more than just a footballer. He’s an idol, a living legend and a true adopted son of their city.

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As impressive as his sporting achievements were with Napoli, his effect on the city of Naples stretches further than the boundaries of the San Paolo Stadium. One of the deepest convictions held across Italian society is the idea of an unbridgeable gap between the industrial, business-driven north and the rural, rough-around-the-edges south. This all made Naples the perfect fit for Maradona, who was born into humble origins in Buenos Aires. Before he had kicked a ball, 75,000 Neapolitans turned up to see one of their own being unveiled in 1984.

This north-south divide was also represented across the Italian football landscape with the northern powerhouses of Milan, Juventus, Roma and Inter having a stranglehold on the Scudetto. No southern team had won the title and then along came Maradona to turn the world upside down.

It took him two seasons to achieve the seemingly impossible but, with Maradona pulling strings and scoring goals, Napoli claimed the Serie A title on 10 May 1987. The little Argentinian magician gave the south something to rejoice and made them rediscover their pride. He became a symbol of liberation and inspired them to change the way they saw themselves.

This love affair continued for seven seasons in all, with Maradona giving Napoli the most successful period in their history. They won the Coppa Italia in 1987, the Uefa Cup in 1989 and a second – and still their most recent – Scudetto in 1990.

Thirty years after that first triumph, his legacy lives on through murals and posters around the city. Many shops have a patron saint to protect themselves – an image of Diego Maradona – and the word that is attached to the majority of these images? Dios.



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