“Too often, people criticise girls who follow football, assuming they ‘don’t understand anything’, I grew up with football. It’s who I am.”
Martina Del Giudice never planned to leave Naples. Yet here she is, standing atop Notre Dame de la Garde in Marseille, watching the sun descend over the shimmering Mediterranean. The view, expansive and serene, feels familiar. The light, the sea, the warmth—all echoes of her hometown. But this is not Naples. This is a new chapter, a new city, and a new life.
“It happened all so suddenly, nothing planned,” Martina says. “I just needed a change after a period of darkness.”
Born and raised in Naples, a city bursting with life, colour, and passion, Martina’s existence had always been rooted in its vibrant streets. It was there she first fell in love with football, influenced by her father’s unwavering devotion to Napoli. “Football was the basis of everything,” she recalls. “Sundays were sacred. You didn’t go out because ‘Naples is playing.’”
Yet the pull of something different—somewhere new—became undeniable. In a spur-of-the-moment decision, Martina set out for Marseille with a friend, seeking a fresh start. Their paths soon diverged, leaving her to navigate a foreign city on her own. It wasn’t easy. “I never lived alone, or rather, I never lived without my family,” she admits. “But looking for an apartment and my first real job made me grow up quickly. I became responsible.”
Two Cities, One Spirit
Marseille and Naples: two Mediterranean cities sharing not only a shoreline but a spirit. “This is a little secret,” Martina leans in, her voice lowering as if not to break a spell, “but in Marseille, I don’t feel lost. There’s the sun, there’s the sea… it’s simply the south.”
Both cities pulse with energy, their people warm and welcoming, their streets filled with laughter, music, and the scent of the sea. But perhaps most significantly, both are football cities. Passionate, and unwaveringly loyal, Napoli and Olympique de Marseille fans live and breathe the sport.
Martina is no stranger to football culture. In Naples, she worked as a hostess at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, an arena that reverberates with the legacy of its namesake. Even now, she carries a small photo of Maradona in her wallet. “It’s my lucky charm. I take it with me to the stadium, always.”
It was only two days after arriving in Marseille that she attended her first match at the Stade Vélodrome. The experience was electric. “I had goosebumps. The fans are crazy but completely in love with their team. I admire them so much.” The chants, the sea of blue and white, the raw emotion—it was reminiscent of Naples, yet distinctly Marseille.
A New Rhythm in Marseille
Today, Martina works at the Marseille Tourist Office, a role that allows her to indulge her love of languages (she speaks five) while introducing visitors to her adopted city. “I’m in constant contact with the public,” she explains. “It helped me integrate quickly, and every day I’m more passionate about my job.”
Her life in Marseille is one of discovery. When not at work or attending matches at the Vélodrome, she explores the city as if she were a tourist herself.
“I love the sunsets, the sound of the waves, and the kindness of the people,” she says. Her favourite spots include the panoramic view from Notre Dame de la Garde, the charming harbour of Vallon des Auffes with a Spritz in hand, and the bustling alleys of Le Panier, Marseille’s oldest district.
She is quick to defend her new home against those who judge it without understanding its complexities. “I think Marseille has too many negative stereotypes,” she says, her voice firm. “It’s one of the oldest cities in France, full of history and architecture. There’s liveliness, the colour of the sea, and the warmth of the sun. Everything you need for a holiday.”
Carrying Naples with Her
Yet, even amid this new adventure, Naples remains with her. It’s in the food she misses (“It’s irreplaceable!” she laughs) and in the football passion that never fades. It’s in her father’s influence and in that little photo of Maradona that travels with her wherever she goes.
“I still remember watching the 2006 World Cup with my father,” she recalls.
“That’s where it all started.” The bond between football and family runs deep, uniting her past and present, Naples and Marseille.
But as she continues to explore her new city, Martina does so on her terms. “Too often, people criticise girls who follow football, assuming they ‘don’t understand anything,’” she says. “I grew up with football. It’s who I am.”
Her dreams are bold. She wants to tour stadiums across Europe, experiencing the sport she loves in new cultures and new cities. “I promised myself I would,” she declares.
From Naples to Marseille, from the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona to the Stade Vélodrome, Martina Del Giudice’s story has been one of adventure, discovery, and an unshakeable love for football. In this city by the sea, she’s found not just a new home but a new way of living—carrying Naples in her heart and embracing Marseille with open arms.
ALL OUR THANKS TO MARTINA GIUDICE