Neapolitans are usually a superstitious bunch. 

The city that has more shrines and murals dedicated to saints – and non-saints – than any other on the planet firmly believes in divine intervention.

That being said, the number four was dotted around the city centre, hung from shops and sprayed on walls. One could argue this was tempting fate, somewhat.

Yet those presumptuous fans needn’t have worried. A goal apiece from Scott McTomminay and Romelu Lukaku sealed a 2-0 win against Cagliari, and with it a fourth Scudetto.

Was it the work of Diego Maradona, or San Gennaro? Either way, the city erupted into a hail of fireworks, horns, flares and singing for hours on end.

No one throws a party like a Napoli Scudetto party, and here are seven takes that captured the night.

Piazza del Plebiscito, central Naples

The beating heart of the city, Piazza del Plebiscito is the spot for title celebrations.

By the time Destination Calcio arrived, there was a queue just to get into it. With the Bay of Naples just at the other side of the square, the Royal Palace to the east and church of San Francesco da Paola to the west, the piazza has somewhat of a unique shape.

Fluctuating between tension and ecstasy, the atmosphere was electric at all times. Songs were sang, flares of different colours unleashed that mixed together and hid the sky, horns were blasted at ear-deafening levels.

Estimates of how many people crammed into the square is hard to gauge, but if an official figure of 150,000 people was given, there wouldn’t be any surprise.

The Tifo

Of course, given the importance of the game, the Partenopei’s choreography before the game was going to be something special.

The word Scugnizzi, when translated from Neapolitan to Italian, means monello, a mischievous boy who gets up to no good, who lives by his wits and is street-wise.

Being a scugnizzo is one of the defining characteristics for Neapolitans, where the term is also used to describe friends.

As such, the tifo depicting two kids, one wearing a Napoli top, running through the streets with the caption “Avanti Scugnizzi” (Let’s go Scugnizzi) felt particularly apt. Better still, the painting-like tifo was adorned with a message that ran the length of the Curva B that read, “Together, we’ve painted this season’s picture. All that’s left is the signature, and the masterpiece will be complete.”

Adding to the pre-match vibes, the usual Napoli soundtrack blared across the Maradona, which included this gem from late Argentine singer Rodrigo called La Mano de Dios.

The McTominay Goal

All Napoli needed to clinch their fourth title was to keep a clean sheet and score one goal. In the 42nd minute, season hero Scott McTominay obliged with a brilliant scissor-kick to beat the Cagliari goalkeeper Alen Sherri from eight yards.

The resulting celebrations inside the Maradona meant that, until halftime, the pitch was obscured for the 55,000 in attendance.

Red flares lit up both ends – the Curva Nord and Curva Sud, a rehearsal for what was to come in the second half.

Title-sealing moments

From all the teams around peninsula, the dynamic between players and fans is the most intense in Naples. Former players have spoken openly about the love they receive from Neapolitans, and that sometimes it can be a little too much.

Yet there’s no denying the fans’ love for the club and the players they take to their hearts. Napoli, more than most, is a club that’s epitomised by the fanbase.

Nerves began to settle when Romelu Lukaku scored a phenomenal solo goal, his 14th of the season, and the waves of emotion overflowing from stands and beyond the fireworks of Fuorigrotta and into the city.

The Scudetto was only a matter of minutes away at this stage. Number four was closing in.

Lap of Honour

Naturally, the Napoli players wanted to share the moment for the adoring public, and as they waited for the official trophy presentation, the players did a lap of honour to revel in the moment with a fan base who’d packed the stadium every week.

Napoli’s average attendance this season was over 50,000, their highest in years, and it was fitting the players showed their appreciation.

The Title Presentation

After a second Scudetto in the last three years, Napoli fans would like this to become a semi-regular event.

As club captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo lifted the trophy for the second time, fireworks lift up the Maradona.

The culmination of perhaps Napoli’s most-unexpected league title.

What the future holds for Antonio Conte is uncertain. Links to Juventus continue to rumble on, but for now, the five-time Scudetto-winning manager was taking in the moment, celebrating with his players and earning a lifetime of thanks from the city.

The city celebrates into the early hours

The ceremony continued until well past midnight, but for Neapolitans the party was just getting started.

The centre was a flurry of fireworks, horns, flares, singing, dancing and people seeking out pizza or kebabs as shops and restaurants closed.

Just like in 1987, 1990 and 2023, the party will go on for days and days. The euphoria and adrenaline replacing the need for food or sleep.