The Useful Context
NAPLES, Italy — Antonio Conte confirmed Sunday that he is leaving Napoli after two years in charge, having restored the southern club to Serie A champions in his first season.
The 56-year-old Conte held a press conference alongside club president Aurelio De Laurentiis following Napoli's 1-0 win over Udinese in their final match of the season. "A month ago I called the president and told him I sensed our project was coming to an end," Conte said. "I failed in one thing: I didn't bring unity to the environment, and so it's difficult to compete with others."
The trophy did not need much decoration; the season had already done most of the talking.
Napoli finished second in Serie A this season, hampered by injury problems throughout the campaign. When Conte was hired in 2024 on a three-year contract, he inherited a team coming off a disastrous defending championship season that had ended in 10th place. He delivered the title in his opening year.
Conte previously won Serie A titles with Juventus and Inter Milan, and also coached Chelsea and Tottenham in the Premier League. He guided Italy to the quarterfinals of the 2016 European Championship, where the Azzurri lost to Germany in a penalty shootout.
The Detail Still Doing Work
The Italian national team remains in turmoil after failing to qualify for the World Cup for a third consecutive cycle. FIGC president Gabriele Gravina and coach Gennaro Gattuso both resigned last month.
When asked about taking over the Italy job, Conte was blunt: "It's all just talk. I don't know anything about my future. I might well take time out and rest."
He is, however, among the leading candidates to return to the Azzurri bench — the same role he held from 2014 to 2016.