The devotion that Italian football fans tend to give to their beloved clubs is second to none in Europe. But the Italian supporters are beyond just brandishing amazing banners during games, or being loud during games.
They can be just as passionate outside the pitch as well when it comes to celebrating their team’s achievements or interacting with the players.
Napoli supporters are probably an embodiment of the fiery spirit of Italian football fans. They are gearing up for a fiesta in the city of Naples, with their club primed to clinch the 2022/23 Serie A title quickly. Now, it’s rather clear that Napoli isn’t the most decorated club in Italy.
They don’t have as many league titles as Juventus or the European glory of AC Milan. But what they do have, is a lot of die-hard supporters who treat supporting the club as a way of life.
Even though Napoli hasn’t won a major trophy in over three decades, these supporters have not given up on the team and are primed to get the sweetest reward possible for their patience.
Even though Napoli are yet to officially clinch the Serie A title, they will be able to do so relatively quickly.
Even before the real celebrations begin, the supporters have already gotten the party started in Naples.
The Napoli team got a glimpse of just how much the supporters love them after returning from their win over Juventus in Turin.
They landed in Naples at around 3 AM after an exhausting journey but immediately received a lift in spirits after seeing the kind of reception the fans had planned for them.
Thousands of Napoli fans decided to greet them outside the Naples airport at 3 AM.
The fan groups had come well prepared knowing that their team would land late into the city and that they’d have to wait for hours, but despite the time, they were full of energy.
Many brought flags around, started loudly chanting songs and even brought fireworks to show the players just how much their efforts are being appreciated.
Not just that, but hundreds brought their motorcycles with them and decided to follow the team bus to their hotels with a fellow supporter in the pillion seat behind them as well.
The surreal image of an uncountable number of bikes following behind the Napoli bus was caught by midfielder Andre Zambo Anguissa and uploaded on his Instagram.
The fans decided to travel a long distance following them on their bikes, while in a spirited celebratory mood at 3 AM – when most people in the city were sleeping!
A lot of these fans did this on a weekday, knowing all too well they’d have to sacrifice sleep and report to work or something else in the morning afterwards.
But the party did not stop there either.
Other Napoli players like influential winger Kvicha Kvaratskhelia caught how hundreds and thousands of fans surrounded the Napoli team bus, singing songs at them and even letting off some flares to cap off the celebrations.
The last time Napoli won the Serie A title was in 1990. Back then, a certain Diego Maradona and his teammates were heralded around like gods in the city of Naples.
Going by how the celebrations are going on now, the current Napoli squad will be blessed with the same kind of passion and unrivalled love from fans in the title-winning celebrations.