The Napoli centenary celebrations officially kicked off on Monday afternoon local time. The club unveiled its 2026/27 home kit on the "MSC World Europa" cruise ship, with president Aurelio De Laurentiis attending the event and discussing the club's future development plans.

De Laurentiis stated: "We are celebrating 100 years of passion, identity, setbacks, rebirth, and success. The football history of Napoli dates back to the late 19th century, spanning more than 100 years."

Napoli will also hold a special celebration on August 1. De Laurentiis revealed that the event will take place in the city center, with club fans and several legendary players in attendance.

The "Sun Horse" logo, originally used by Napoli, has returned on the centenary jersey. Italian encyclopedia publisher Treccani will also release a special publication dedicated to the club.

De Laurentiis reflected on the club's development since he took over: "We went from Serie C to the Champions League stage, won two Serie A titles, and competed in European competitions in 16 of the past 17 seasons, becoming one of the most recognized clubs in European football."

He emphasized that Napoli must remain competitive while operating sustainably: "My proudest achievement is respecting the value of this club, making it both competitive and sustainable. This must continue to be prioritized in the future."

Discussing stadium issues, De Laurentiis said he was deeply impressed by the operating conditions of local stadiums while watching World Cup matches in the United States.

He said: "From security to parking, every aspect was arranged exceptionally well. We must also find solutions that can bring stability and greater strength to Napoli."

De Laurentiis believes that without the commercial revenue from a stadium, Napoli will struggle to compete financially with Inter, Milan, and Juventus.

He said: "If we don't invest in this area, we won't generate the revenue needed to compete with the northern teams. Inter, Milan, and Juventus all have much higher operating revenues than us. As Conte said, Napoli must work hard, but ultimately, they must also have complete infrastructure."

De Laurentiis also compared Napoli with other Serie A clubs: "When Friedkin took over Roma, the club already had many of the basic conditions in place, while Milan and Inter also had investment funds behind them. We took over a bankrupt club with no infrastructure or training center, so we had to overcome numerous difficulties."

He made it clear that building a stadium and a training base will be important goals for Napoli in the next phase.

De Laurentiis said: "The goal we have set for this new phase is to build a stadium and a training center. I will work day and night for this, just as I have in the past."

He also invited Campania Regional President Roberto Fico for talks to jointly assess the future of the Maradona Stadium and the possibility of building a new stadium.

At the end of the event, De Laurentiis became emotional while talking about his wife Jacqueline and their three children, Luigi, Valentina, and Edoardo.

He said: "Without my wife's love, I would not have been able to achieve these goals."

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