Sportish in Naples: Diego Maradona is no longer the only god in Naples

“Naples, the city of God”. That was the title of the hike we did two years ago. Today, however, something seems to have changed in the city. But let’s start from the beginning.

The decoration of the city is unimaginable and has nothing to do with what was there until a few years ago. It is typical that as soon as we entered the city, we saw blue and white ribbons hanging everywhere between the apartment buildings. At the same time, third division posters and flags are hanging everywhere. In butcher shops, in grocery stores, in fish shops, in public buildings and even at hairdressers.

One of them caught my eye. A large poster with the team logo hung above the mirror. Noticing our existence, the owner of the salon got all excited and showed us the hair dryer he held in his hands to treat his client. It wasn’t just any hairdryer. It was a hair dryer with the slogan Forza Napoli written on it.

This festive atmosphere can be felt throughout the city. Singers take to the balconies and chant team slogans while locals dance below, while some Neapolitans have already managed to get the number 3 tattooed. The number that indicates how many Scudettos they now own. Or rather how many they will have after the fiesta on Sunday (6/4).

They have been waiting for this third Scudetto for decades. There were years when they came very close but always missed. However, Spalletti and his players had a very different opinion. And here we see the big change in the city. Until last year, Maradona was the main protagonist of the city. His shape and t-shirts with his name on them were everywhere.

That doesn’t happen anymore. And that’s because even more posters, flags and jerseys of the great protagonists of this year’s team are hanging on the streets of Naples. And especially his Hvitsa Kvaratshelia. When we first heard a few months ago that some fans of the club had already managed to call him ‘Quaradona’, most of us laughed. “But such a young footballer cannot be compared to a football legend,” we said

Come on, this is no joke. The Neapolitans follow exactly the same pattern. They find the leader, baptize them, and then idolize them. Forever. As can be seen by walking around town and chatting with the locals, Kvaratthelia is the savior along with Osimen and this season’s other footballers. “He Who Broke the Curse” as someone told us in a café.

And if you sit there and think about it, it’s a bit strange because the young Georgian player’s character has nothing to do with Diego’s. In fact, we’re talking about a very humble footballer, still struggling with the language, who in all likelihood wouldn’t like this whole apotheosis.

However, Neapolitans have their own way of showing their love. After all, they’re the only soccer players who can make a city look like an endless soccer amusement park. In many of the narrow streets of the Spanish Quarter and the Centro Storico there are pictures of this year’s Napoli starting line-up. First the goalkeeper, then the defenders, then the midfielders and finally the strikers.

Somewhere in between there is also a poster for Diego. However, Maradona seems to have unconsciously faded into the background a day before the big celebration. It’s time for the new protagonists to emerge. But how does fate bring them? This triumph was to take place after his death. Maybe that’s the only way in principle.

People continue to flock to the square dedicated to him. The road is uphill and it looks like they are going on a popular pilgrimage. The only change is that the window his face is drawn on is now open. After all, that was the term. It would only open if Napoli won the league again. And there he did it. 33 years later.