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Napoli are on the verge of becoming the new kings of Italy’s top football league, the Serie A, as Luciano Spalletti’s side storms its way to the title.

The club from Naples has dominated the Italian top-flight division in 2022/23, leading the way since September, as they look to make history at their Stadio Diego Armando Maradona this season.

A title win would bring the Italian ‘Scudetto’ back to Naples for the first time since Diego Maradona inspired them to the league title back in 1990 with wild celebrations set to be triggered across the city.

The Italians do league titles slightly differently than other European countries, and The Sporting News details the tradition that will see Napoli as the next team honoured.

MORE: Napoli’s path in the UEFA Champions League knockouts

What is the Scudetto?

The Scudetto has become synonymous with winning the Serie A title, but the Scudetto itself is not a trophy.

Despite the accepted jargon in Italy of ‘winning the Scudetto’ which is associated with winning the Italian league trophy, the Scudetto is more about symbolism than silverware.

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The translation of a ‘scudetto’ is a small shield or badge (the dimunitive version of ‘scudo’ or shield in Italian), and in this context it refers to the badge that can only be applied to the kits of the champions of Italy’s top division (the Serie A).

That badge, or scudetto, is a patch designed in the colours of the Italian flag and it is applied to the official team jerseys for the following season as a representative symbol of their place as the reigning champions and top team in Italy.

There is also a trophy that is awarded to the Serie A winners, and that silverware was first awarded in 1961, but it has taken a back seat to the more culturally significant Scudetto, which has caught on as the ultimate symbol of league success.

MORE: Last time that Napoli won the Italian Serie A scudetto

What does Scudetto mean?

The Scudetto translates from Italian as ‘little shield’ which refers to the Italian tricolour flag (green, white and red) inside a small gold shield.

That patch is stitched onto the champions kits for the duration of the following season.

Only one team can don the patch in any given season, and that honour only goes to the defending champion.

Who has won the most Serie A titles?

Juventus have been the dominant force in Italy’s Serie A since the league’s inception in 1929, with the Turin giants winning an incredible total of 36 titles, compared to 19 each for AC Milan and Inter Milan.

In total, 16 clubs have won the Serie A title, but only Juventus and the Milanese pair have won it since 2002.

List of Serie A winners

  • Juventus (36): 1905, 1925/26, 1930/31 to 1934/35, 1949/50, 1951/52, 1957/58, 1959/60, 1960/61, 1966/67, 1971/72, 1972/73, 1974/75, 1976/77, 1977/78, 1980/81, 1981/82, 1983/84, 1985/86, 1994/95, 1996/97, 1997/98, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2004/05, 2011/12 to 2019/20
  • Inter Milan (19): 1909/10, 1919/20, 1929/30, 1937/38, 1939/40, 1952/53, 1953/54, 1962/63, 1964/65, 1965/66, 1970/71, 1979/80, 1988/89, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2020/21
  • AC Milan (19): 1901, 1906, 1907, 1950/51, 1954/55, 1956/57, 1958/59, 1961/62, 1967/68, 1978/79, 1987/88, 1991/92, 1992/93, 1993/94, 1995/96, 1998/99, 2003/04, 2010/11, 2021/22
  • Genoa (9): 1898, 1899, 1900, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1914/15, 1922/23, 1923/24
  • Torino (7): 1926/27, 1927/28, 1942/43, 1945/46, 1946/47, 1947/48, 1948/49, 1975/76
  • Bologna (7): 1924/25,1928/29, 1935/36, 1936/37, 1938/39, 1940/41, 1963/64
  • Pro Vercelli (7): 1908, 1909, 1910/11, 1911/12, 1912/13, 1920/21, 1921/22
  • AS Roma (3): 1941/42, 1982/83, 2000/01
  • Lazio (2): 1973/74, 1999/00
  • Napoli: (2): 1986/87, 1989/90
  • Fiorentina (2): 1955/56, 1968/69
  • Casale (1): 1913/14
  • Novese (1): 1921/22
  • Cagliari (1): 1969/70
  • Verona (1): 1984/85
  • Sampdoria (1): 1990/91

Source: https://www.sportingnews.com/us/soccer/news/scudetto-meaning-history-serie-a-past-winners-champions/wkxne6vcgnwuemtzuvxpzryd