Soccer-Scugnizzo Cup sparks football passion in Naples prison walls
Fuelled by Napoli winning the Italian Serie A title in two of the last three seasons, a passion for soccer is taking root across the city.
More than 30 years had passed since the club's first two Scudetto crowns inspired by Argentina World Cup winner and Napoli icon Diego Maradona.
The long-awaited success has reignited a deep passion for the sport and the fierce devotion Neapolitans are renowned for.
Nowhere is this clearer than in the games in the former prison courtyard, abandoned for over two decades, which are drawing growing crowds and sponsorship.
The Scugnizzo Cup, a grassroots tournament in its sixth year, is becoming one of the city's most popular sporting events.
"It's a game this city loves deeply, almost viscerally, but one that is often tied solely to the passion for the city's professional club," volunteer Sergio Sciambra said.
"At the same time Naples lacks sports facilities and parks, and it has become nearly impossible to play football in public squares taken over by cafes and tourism,"
The prison, known as Scugnizzo Liberato, which translates to liberated street boy in the Neapolitan dialect, has been transformed into a vibrant community space.
"It's a tournament created for the people of the neighbourhoods, to build atmosphere and friendship," said organiser Giuseppe Pipino.
"Naples is sometimes criticised for not being a good example, but the Scugnizzo Cup is for those kids who face more difficulties."
The tournament brings neighbourhood and migrant teams together to play matches in a tight concrete courtyard.
"The Scugnizzo Cup is the testament to a need felt by the city, to reclaim a sport that can no longer be just watched from the stands," volunteer Julian Foster said.
"It shows us that you can still have fun without massive stadiums and football superstar, that there are other ways of being together, ways that have slowly been taken away or forgotten."
During this year's final, the prison courtyard was up by with flares as Manchester City Napoli, named in playful tribute to their Premier League counterparts, crushed Inter Miami Quartieri Uniti 4-0 on Friday.
(Writing by Tommy Lund in Gdansk, additional reporting by Antonio Denti, editing by Ed Osmond)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Boxing-Former undisputed world champion Taylor forced to retire over eye issue
FILE PHOTO: Boxing - Josh Taylor & Jack Catterall Press Conference - Leeds, Britain - February 19, 2024 Josh Taylor during the press conference Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith (Reuters) -Former undisputed light-welterweight world champion Josh Taylor has retired from boxing on medical advice over a recurring eye issue that could risk him losing his eyesight, the 34-year-old said on Monday. Taylor, the only British male boxer to win all four belts in a single division, became the undisputed champion in the 140-pound weight class with a win over Jose Ramirez in 2021. Undefeated Taylor successfully defended his undisputed title against Jack Catterall the next year, his 19th professional win in a row, before losing three fights by decision, most recently against Ekbow Essuman in May. "This isn't an easy post for me to write, but on the advice of my doctors, it's sadly a necessary one," Taylor wrote on Instagram. "As has been publicised before, I've had a recurring issue with my eye that unfortunately means I now have to call time on my career or risk losing my eyesight." Taylor represented Britain at the 2012 Olympics and won gold at the next year's Commonwealth Games before turning professional in 2015. "I am just a kid from the Pans who scaled the very top of the sport but I could not have done it without those who have supported me through thick and thin," Taylor added. (Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Soccer-England get boost ahead of Euro semi as captain Williamson trains
ZURICH (Reuters) -England captain Leah Williamson trained with the team on Monday in a big boost to the squad ahead of their Euro 2025 semi-final against Italy on Tuesday. Williamson limped off with an ankle injury late in Thursday's dramatic quarter-final victory over Sweden which was decided by a penalty shootout. Although there had been questions around Williamson's fitness, England defender Esme Morgan had said the team were "very optimistic Leah will be fine." Jess Carter, who on Sunday announced she would be stepping back from social media after she was the target of racist abuse, also trained. Defending champions England are appearing in their sixth consecutive European Championship semi-final. (Reporting by Lori Ewing in Oberentfelden, Switzerland;, editing by Ed Osmond)
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Boxing-Pacquiao latest boxer to risk legacy for lure of the ring
FILE PHOTO: Presidential candidate and former boxing champion Manny Pacquiao poses for a photograph during an interview with Reuters at his campaign headquarters in Makati City, Philippines, April 7, 2022. Picture taken April 7, 2022. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez/File Photo (Reuters) -Manny Pacquiao's return to the ring at the weekend after a four-year hiatus marked the latest example of a boxer well past his prime who could not resist the temptation of the squared circle and a chance to add to his competitive legacy. The 46-year-old Filipino came out of retirement on Saturday to fight Mario Barrios in Las Vegas but fell short of breaking his own record as the oldest-ever welterweight champion as the American boxer escaped with a majority draw. Fights involving boxers like Pacquiao, who is one of the sport's all-time greats, used to dominate headlines and attract a who's-who of celebrities ringside but there was considerably less buzz around his latest foray into the ring. "He's a tremendously meaningful fighter, but is this a meaningful fight? Not really," International Boxing Hall of Fame broadcaster Jim Lampley told Reuters ahead of the fight. "He's 46 years old. He's been away from the ring for four years. Do I need to say more?" Despite returning to the ring at an advanced age against a boxer 16 years younger than him, Pacquiao put up a valiant effort and even looked to have had the upper hand until late in the bout when Barrios turned up the aggression. Pacquiao, a Filipino senator from 2016 to 2022 and who last month was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, not only silenced some of his critics with his performance but also made clear his comeback is not over. "Don't worry, the PacMan is back, and the journey will continue," Pacquiao told reporters after the fight. Pacquiao is hardly the first middle-aged boxer who returned to the ring hoping to roll back the years. Last November, former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson came out of retirement at 58 to face Jake Paul in a fight that did not match the hype. Lampley said it's not surprising to see fighters miss the thrill of the spotlight, even if they are far from their peak, and recounted a time he once asked Sugar Ray Leonard, who made two ill-fated comebacks, why it was so hard to stay away. "He said 'I have surveyed every thrill a man of my level of privilege can experience. Nothing matches the thrill of stepping out of that corner ... another man facing me from 15 feet away, and trying to prove I am more man than him'," Lampley said. "He knew why he couldn't quit. He could not give up the thrill of that identity and that experience. It is absolutely an addiction." HEALTH CONCERNS Like any sport, competing at the highest level presents many challenges as an athlete ages. But in a sport like boxing, which involves repeated blows to the head, it also comes with specific health concerns. Robert Cantu, medical director of the Concussion Legacy Foundation, said the cumulative effect of repeated blows over a career can take a toll and one should be wary of subjecting an aging brain to more injury. "The reason we don't (want people boxing in their 40s) is that the brain is already starting to lose neural cells after the age of 20, and by the age of 40 you've lost a fair number," said Cantu. "And if you keep losing more than you would have otherwise lost because you are having your head rattled around taking blows you are increasing your risk for dementia." For some aging boxers who still possess name recognition and the ability to land lucrative paydays, that risk appears worth it for them to step back into the ring though one is left to wonder if their fights are doing the sport more harm than good. (Reporting by Frank Pingue in TorontoEditing by Toby Davis)
