“At that moment, all the blue in the world exploded inside The Diego Armando Maradona Stadium. Pure magic.”
I was born and raised in Caserta, near Naples. It was at the age of 10, that I moved to the Provence of Salerno. It’s funny because I grew up without a love of football. It wasn’t until two years ago that it entered my heart. I had always believed that it was the reason for the distance between me and my father.
I started photographing in 2016/17. I don’t remember precisely. It was usually just on my mobile phone like everyone does. But I felt that my shots had something and I wanted more.
It was my ex that lent me her camera to try and after a week I bought one of my own. Since then I have experimented with various styles.
I love capturing people, their faces, and the small emotions they manage to express, especially when they aren’t aware they are being photographed.
With my project Mosaico Napoletano, I wanted to tell the folklore of Naples at a time when Napoli was about to win the Scudetto. Life was breathing on the streets of Naples and I was lucky to find myself at the stadium on the day when the Scudetto became a reality.
My father was a big Napoli fan and getting closer to this team was like getting closer to him again.
I realised that football should not divide us, but unite us. The Napoli team had always been a great love for him and when I started to watch the matches with him I was very happy that this happened because last year he passed away.
Watching our team together for the last time is now a beautiful memory. It was thanks to this team that I managed to rediscover my relationship with my father at the right moment.
I also managed to feel part of something that linked my partner to her family, and that gave me a feeling of security. It was as if all of us being united gave us great strength. I managed to immerse myself in the magic of a city that has made joy a real mission.
Naples has always been magical, but to experience such an important moment for the city was unique. Naples was all celebration for days. The people were sincerely happy, it probably cannot be described in words.
Being at the stadium when Napoli finally won the Scudetto was one of the most special moments of my life. At that moment, all the blue in the world exploded inside The Diego Armando Maradona Stadium. Pure magic.
All our thanks to the gentleman that is Nicola Attianese.
All words and images Nicola Attianese.
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