Between Napoli and Buenos Aires there is a special feeling. We know that and probably  it's no coincidence. The Italians immigrants in Argentina were called tanos, diminutive of napolitanos. By this verbal expression it was "possible" to indicate indiscriminately all southern Italians that populated the streets of Argentinean cities. While tanos carried with them the sounds and the words of Neapolitan song, on the banks of Río de la Plata, the Tango Music took origin. Goodness knows if it's a "musical matter". For sure  the Argentinean football players have an important places in the history of SSC Napoli.  

 

BRUNO PESAOLA - Nicknamed Petisso for his small stature, he was a very speed left winger. He was born in 1925 in Buenos Aires. His parents were immigrants from Italy. In Argentine he played for River Plate and Dock Sud. In Italy for Roma, Novara and Genoa. His longest stay was with Napoli (240 matches, 27 gol). As coach of partenopei, he won an Italian Cup (1962). He said: "I'm a Neapolitan who was born in a foreign country". The municipality of the city bestowed on Petisso honorary citizenship. He stills lives in Napoli.

 

OMAR SÍVORI - He was born in Argentina in an Italian family in 1925. When he played for River Plate, he was nicknamed El Cabezón, the man with a bighead. When he moved to Juventus, other Argentines came to Italy (Humberto Maschio, Bologna; Antonio Angelillo, Inter) and the trio were nicknamed "the angels with the dirty face". With bianconeri team he won 3 Serie A, 2 Italian Cups, scoring 135 goals in 215 matches. In 1965, when he joined to Napoli, the supporters said: "Sívori, you are my life". 63 matches, 12 goals, a second place and a Coppa delle Alpi (Cup of the Alps). He had audacious dribbling skills, a vindictive temperament and was a brilliant left-footed player . When he died, in 2005, The Telegraph said: "He was a volatile blend of wizardry and devilry, of sublime audacity and sheer spitefulness. His sole object on the pitch appeared to be to hoodwink, to provoke and to humiliate both rivals and the referee. His hallmark was the nutmegging of defenders - pushing the ball between their legs - but his repertoire also included dazzling feints and flicks, superb dribbling, and powerful shooting from distance". In Italy, the football-addicted remember him as "the Maradona of the Sixties".

 

DIEGO ARMANDO MARADONA - An encyclopedia will not be sufficient to explain the Maradona era in the city of Napoli, the deep and sometimes "dangerous" relation of Diego with the city. When Diego visited the San Paolo stadium for the first time (5 July 1984), 80.000 supporters screamed his name. He immediately became a star. With Maradona, Napoli won his only Serie A Championship (1986-87; 1989-1990), an Italian Cup (1987), a Uefa Cup (1989), an Italian Supercoppa and twice took Napoli to a runners up spot in serie A. In those years Serie A had the biggest football stars in the world. In the day of first scudetto, el pibe de oro said: "For the first time, I won something at my home". When Napoli won Uefa Cup against Stuttgart, in German stadium thousands of Italian immigrants lived that moment as their collective revenge. When Italy lost to Argentina the semi-final of Italy '90 Fifa World Cup in Napoli, it is said that Neapolitan people supported the team of Maradona. Diego is the best ever scorer in Napoli's history (115 goals). His last match at San Paolo was in 1991. When Maradona dies, we will outline a balance of this incredible history. 

 

EZEQUIEL LAVEZZI - "The Argentinean dream goes on" said supporters when Lavezzi from San Lorenzo moved to Napoli in 2007. They watched his bravery on YouTube and they fallen in love of his speed and fantasy, in spite of the fact El pocho was not a left-footed like Sívori  and Maradona. After five seasons with azzurri (156 matches, 38 goals), Lavezzi moved to Paris Saint Germain.  Anyway Lavezzi era coincides with Neapolitan Renaissance with the President De Laurentiis. Napoli signed Lavezzi after 2 years in third division and one in Serie B. With El Pocho, Napoli won an Italian Cup and got back to Uefa Champions League after  about 15 years. He will be remembered for his two goals against Chelsea at San Paolo.

 

GONZALO HIGUAÍN - El pipita has a double heritage in the city of San Gennaro: to honor Argentinean history and take the place of Edinson Cavani in the heart of supporters. El Matador moved like Lavezzi to Paris Saint Germain after three excellent season with azzurri, and De Laurentiis wanted the Real Madrid striker to win the Serie A and create a good impression in Uefa Champions League. For the supporters, Higuaín is a dream come true, the diamond point in the team of Rafa Benitez. El pipita doesn't need endorsements. He scored 107 goals in 190 matches in the biggest football club in the world, Real Madrid. Napoli welcomed him with open arms and an Argentinean flag.