"It's amazing! It's been so long! Look at the atmosphere, it's crazy! We're going to party all night, all week!" said Facundo Quense, 33, as soon as the final whistle blew on the other side of the country.

On the field of Udinese, more than 800 km from Napoli, Napoli snatched the point of the draw (1-1), a point sufficient to offer him the title of champion of Italy which has been promised to him for several weeks, as the team has flown over the season.

"It's a liberation! You have to live it! The party, the party, the party! It's a crazy year," said 25-year-old Laura Curcio as other supporters took selfies or videos to immortalize the event.

From the beginning of the evening, thousands of tifosi, carrying flags, scarves and banners in sky and white colors, filled the streets of the city center, honking horns with foghorns and chanting: "Vinceremo il titolo!" (We will win the title).

Equalization and liberation

In the narrow alleys, they gathered around television and rear-projection screens, installed on terraces and squares, in front of churches.

Fans celebrate in Naples after winning the Italian league title in Udine, May 4, 2023 © Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP

Some 55,000 fans also took their seats in the Diego-Maradona stadium to watch the match on giant screens.

They initially trembled when their team, who were not supposed to lose to Udinese to be assured of the title, conceded a goal in the 13th minute, before equalizing and releasing thanks to the inevitable Victor Osimhen on the return from the dressing room.

"We've been waiting too long," said Antonio De Roma, a 20-year-old student. "It's crazy because in 1990, Maradona won the World Cup with Argentina and the Scudetto with Napoli: my parents used to talk to me about it and today I live it!"

Scarf on his back and bottle of beer in hand, in front of the church of Sant'Angelo a Nilo, Alessandro De Luca, 19, relishes.

"For years, we feel relegated to the background behind the teams of the North. I didn't experience the 33 years of famine, but I shed tears for this team and I cried for the losses as well as the victories. And today I'm crying!" insists the student.

"Football crazy"

"Football is really in our DNA, we are Italians, but especially Neapolitans," adds Antonio Esposito, 65, under the famous giant fresco dedicated to the Pibe de Oro, in the Spanish quarters. This victory is even more beautiful than the first (in 1987), we feel that Maradona is with us and protects us."

"We won it, we deserve it! Unlike other clubs that bought the championship," he added, thanking the staff who "started from scratch".

The joy of Neapolitan fans after winning the Italian league title in Udine, May 4, 2023 © Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP

Like many Neapolitans, he donned a sky blue jersey to his dog. "He's also a supporter, he follows every game," he laughs.

Luciano Spalletti's players made the fun last: the club partenopeo could have already been crowned last Sunday, but the draw conceded in the last minutes against Salernitana (1-1) delayed the festivities, as did the victory of Lazio on Wednesday.

But in recent weeks, the sky-and-white "scudetto" was already everywhere: at windows, balconies, on large banners tied on either side of the streets, painted on walls, wrapped around tree trunks, floating on cars and scooters, waiters' aprons and even babies' strollers.

The festivities will continue for the return of the players on Friday, then Sunday's home game against Fiorentina.

"Naples is full of joy. Here, it's like in Brazil: we are crazy about football!" exclaims Carlo Antonio Cajan, 67, who plans a party for "15 days, a month".

© 2023 AFP