Nestled between the waters of Lake Como and the foothills of the Alps, Calcio Lecco exists in a space where geography and football merge into something poetic. A small club with a grand heart, Lecco’s story is one of endurance, loyalty, and love, for both its colours and its community. Photographer Luca Gaiera visited the city to capture that spirit, while Vice President Francesco Aliberti shared what makes Lecco’s soul so enduring.
A Club with a Story to Tell
For Francesco Aliberti, Calcio Lecco isn’t just another football team; it’s a mirror of the city itself.
“Lecco has a truly special story,” he says. “It’s a small club that, despite being so close to major football cities like Milan, Inter, and Atalanta, has always maintained a passionate following and a deep love for its colours. Throughout its history, Lecco has played in every division, from Serie A all the way down to the amateur leagues, and even won an Anglo-Italian Cup final that remains one of the most memorable moments in European football history.”
That journey, from the heights of Serie A to the grind of Serie D, has shaped Lecco’s identity. The club carries its scars with pride. It’s football as persistence, not glamour.
A Stadium Carved from the Landscape
You feel that persistence most at the Stadio Rigamonti-Ceppi, where football unfolds against a cinematic backdrop.
“The stadium is small and almost built in an English style,” Aliberti explains. “The fans are just a few centimetres away from the players in three of the four stands, which makes the atmosphere incredibly intense and engaging. Geographically, it sits between the lake and the mountains, and that’s why the club’s motto perfectly captures its spirit: ‘Blue like the lake, sky-blue like the sky.’”
It’s hard to imagine a more fitting phrase for a place like Lecco, where the colours of the club are borrowed directly from the landscape.
“Blue like the lake, sky-blue like the sky.”
— Calcio Lecco motto
The People Behind the Passion
In a region dominated by footballing giants, Lecco’s supporters remain the club’s greatest treasure.
“The supporters mean everything to Lecco,” Aliberti says. “They’ve always shown incredible passion and loyalty, especially considering that, in the last few decades, the club has mostly played in Serie C and D, with only a few short spells in Serie B. The fans’ affection has never faded, not even in the toughest sporting moments. Even this year, we have one of the largest and most passionate followings in our league, the third biggest, in fact.”
This loyalty, stubborn and beautiful, gives Lecco its heartbeat.
A Hidden Gem Between Lake and Mountain
Photographer Luca Gaiera captures Lecco with the eye of someone who understands that football isn’t just played on the pitch — it’s lived in the streets, the cafés, and the views that surround the stadium.
“Lecco is a hidden gem between the lake and the mountains,” he says. “It offers stunning natural beauty, peaceful views, and that special atmosphere you can find in northern Italy; not too touristy compared to other well-known Lombard cities, but full of charm and history. It’s the kind of place where you can really feel the connection between nature and local life.”
“It’s the kind of place where you can really feel the connection between nature and local life.”
— Luca Gaiera
Football the Way It Used to Be
If Lecco, the city, is defined by its quiet beauty, Calcio Lecco is defined by its raw emotion.
“Because football in Lecco is pure passion,” Gaiera says. “Here, you realise that Lombardy isn’t just about Milan or Inter; there are smaller clubs with incredible fanbases that keep football alive in the lower divisions. Experiencing a Calcio Lecco match means feeling the warmth of real supporters and the atmosphere of authentic football, the way it used to be.”
Gaiera’s visit coincided with a big match, a top-of-the-table clash that seemed to encapsulate the club’s spirit. “The atmosphere in the stands was incredible, the fans were on fire from start to finish. On the pitch, it was a true big match, with both teams fighting hard for second place and trying to stay close to Vicenza, who is currently leading the table. It was one of those games decided by small details, intense and full of emotion.”
It’s that intensity, the kind that blurs the line between football and feeling, that makes Calcio Lecco such a joy to witness.
Always One Step Away
As for the season ahead, Aliberti remains quietly ambitious. “We take it one game at a time. We can’t afford to relax, because there’s always room to improve and the top of the table is always just a step away.”
Between blue and sky-blue, between the lake and the mountains, Lecco continues to dream. Their story is not of dominance, but of devotion, a reminder that football’s truest beauty often lives far from the spotlight, in the corners of Italy where the game still feels like home.
All our thanks to Luca Gaiera and Calcio Lecco.
