Maradona to Mertens: List of top 10 Napoli legends of all time ranked

Who are the most famous Napoli legends of all time? The one Napoli legend, Attila Sallustro, did not accept cash compensation from the club, meaning he was never paid. The list of the biggest Napoli legends includes great players who graced different great soccer clubs, like Cavani. Dries Mertens, already a legend earlier broke the goals club's record set by Maradona.

The club is one of the greatest in Italy, having clinched Serie A, Coppa Italia, Supercoppa Italiana titles, and UEFA Cup titles. Come with us as we discuss the most legendary players of all time.

The best Napoli legends of all time

Talking about the Napoli legends list, these are some of the most decorated players, mostly from great South America and Italy. Below are the best club legends.

10. Moreno Ferrario

He joined in the summer transfer window of 1977 after spending 5 years in Varese's junior divisions and played on professional terms between 1975 and 1977. However, he was not a first-team player and had to wait until he debuted with the Italy U-21 squad to become a regular starter.

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He finally redeemed himself by playing a hero's role in the 1987 Scudetto. During his 11-year stay at the club, he appeared in 396 games and scored 11 goals as a defender. 311 of these appearances were in the Italian Seria A.

9. Edinson Cavani

Cavani joined in July 2010. On the other hand, the transfer was a loan of €5 million and an option/obligation to purchase outright for €12 million, for a total fee of €17 million. Cavani's chemistry with fellow forwards Ezequiel Lavezzi and Marek Hamsik earned them the name "The Three Tenors" from the legendary singing quartet with the same title.

In the 2012 Coppa Italia final at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, he scored a penalty against Juventus, helping them to a 2–0 victory. With five goals, he was also the tournament's leading scorer. It is revealed that in 138 games, he has 104 goals and 14 assists.

8. Ciro Ferrara

One of the best Napoli legends, Ferrara had a key role in five of the club's 11 major championships over the club's nearly 100-year history. Nonetheless, by the summer of 1994, with Maradona long gone and their most significant achievements behind them, the club chose not to renew the contract of their local star. Ferrara instead accompanied the then boss, Marcello Lippi, to Juventus.

7. Careca

Careca is also one of the famous Napoli legends. When he joined in 1987, he made an immediate impact. In the Napoli xi list, the Brazilian possessed an incredible capacity to be at the right place at the right moment. He also had a lot of speed in his armoury, which he used to significant effect.

He is regarded as one of the best Brazilian forwards of all time. He was a member of the infamous 'Ma-Gi-Ca' partnership, which included Diego Maradona and Bruno Giordano, and they terrorized Serie A. During his stint in Naples, he scored 95 goals and helped the club to win the Serie A championship in 1990.

6. Giuseppe Bruscolotti

Giuseppe Bruscolotti is one of the Napoli FC legends defenders who is most known for his time, where he served as captain and helped the club win its first Serie A title in 1987. Due to his physical strength, admirers dubbed him "Pal e fierr" ("iron pole") throughout his career. Between 1972 and 1988, he played 511 times for the club in all competitions, scoring 11 goals. 387 of these matches were at the league level.

5. Antonio Juliano

Juliano is also one of Napoli football legends. He was raised from the club's youth ranks, finishing the entire process to the first team, which he acquired in the 1961-1962 season, under the technical direction of Bruno Pesaola. His full debut was in the Coppa Italia semi-final the same year, which they won against Mantova.

He stayed at Naples until the end of 1977-1978, appearing in 355 Serie A matches and 39 Serie B matches, trailing only Giuseppe Bruscolotti in overall appearances; he also played 72 matches in the Italian Cup and 39 in the UEFA Cup and Cup Winners' Cup.

4. Slovak Marek Hamsik

Slovak Marek Hamsik is one of the most famous players of modern-day in the club and unquestionably on the list of best Napoli players of all time; he has become a club hero and symbol in a 12-year career between 2007 and 2019.

He appeared in 520 games for the squad during this time, scoring 121 goals across all competitions. 408 of these appearances were in Serie A, where he scored 100 goals for the club. He has been a regular member of the Slovakia national team since 2007, appearing in 126 matches and scoring 26 goals.

3. Dries Mertens

Dries Mertens in 2020 surpassed Marek Hamk's tally of 121 goals to become Napoli's all-time leading scorer. The Belgian scored his first goal in October 2013, a winner against Fiorentina, and the goals have continued to come since then. In 2014, he won the Coppa Italia, and in 2015 and 2020, he won the Supercoppa Italiana. During the 2016–17 season, he was named to the Serie A Team of the Year. In the Napoli legends FIFA 22, he is one of the top players with a total rating of 84.

2. Attila Sallustro

He joined while the club was still known as Internapoli and stayed for the majority of his career. Fans referred him as "Il Veltro" and "Il Divino." Due to his history, Sallustro decided not to accept cash compensation from the club but was rewarded with a fancy automobile.

He played there for 12 years, scoring 107 goals in a career that was cut short at one time owing to World War II. He had a younger brother, Oreste Sallustro, who peers referred to as Sallustro II. He was two years younger. They both played at the club, though Oreste featured relatively. He remained in Naples following his retirement until his death in 1983.

1. Diego Maradona

The most famous Napoli legend is the 'Patron Saint of Naples.' According to reports, he arrived at the Stadio San Paolo and was introduced to the global media as the club's player in July 1984, where 75,000 fans received him.

He inherited a once-great team that was on the verge of relegation at the end of the 1983-84 Serie A season in what was then Europe's fiercest and most prestigious football league. Maradona reached the pinnacle of his professional career in Italy, where he rapidly inherited the armband from legendary defender Giuseppe Bruscolotti and swiftly became an adored star.

He led them to its history's most successful era. Napoli's number 10 shirt was officially retired in 2000. Maradona's 115 goals in all competitions were a club record for 26 years. Napoli's home stadium was renamed Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on December 4, 2020, nine days after Maradona's death. The 'god of Naples' will remain on the list of Napoli legends of all time.

There are many Napoli legends; alot have not been discussed here but were significant in the club throughout its history. Many of them moved to a different club, made a great impact, but are still remembered for what they left.