Napoli supporters are renowned for their affection towards effervescent and audacious attackers, with the team’s heroes over the years having normally been forwards.
But the most successful Partenopei teams have also been built on a solid defensive foundation with the likes of Giuseppe Bruscolotti, Moreno Ferrario and Ciro Ferrara providing protection for the attacking talents of strikers such as Andrea Carnevale and the “Ma-Gi-Ca” trio of Diego Maradona, Bruno Giordano and Careca.
Record signing Gonzalo Higuain and this season’s ‘Capocannoniere’ Jose Callejon currently receive the adulation of the San Paolo, though centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly has also become increasingly popular since his summer arrival for a €6.5 million fee from Racing Genk.
Immediately adorned with the moniker of “K2” by Sport Mediaset’s commentator Raffaele Auriemma after a mountainous performance in the 1-0 pre-season win against Barcelona in Geneva, the 6’5” defender’s reputation has continued to ascend.
Alongside Raul Albiol, he has played in every Serie A match so far this season and has impressed in an improving Azzurri side that has now found form following a frustrating transfer window and preliminary Champions League elimination to Athletic Club.
Scoring his first goal against Palermo and a goal line clearance in additional time at Fiorentina have been notable highlights, but it is also the former France Under-20 international’s combination of size and technique that has excited many.
In drawing further comparisons with past players, Koulibaly has been favourably compared to a number of legendary defenders with Carlo Molinari, the former president at his first professional club Metz, believing his qualities are reminiscent of Marcel Desailly.
Whereas more mature supporters have also likened him to Netherlands international Ruud Krol, who spent four seasons in Naples and was awarded Serie A’s Best Foreign Player in 1981, following his 64th minute break out of defence and comfort with the ball at his feet during the 2-0 win against Roma.
However, Koulibaly sees himself most like former Parma and Juventus defender Lilian Thuram as he told the October edition of E Azzurro magazine.
“He is the player who inspired me. I remember what he won and how he played. I hope to develop here at Napoli and reach the levels he did,” explained the big defender.
Thuram’s former international teammate, Didier Deschamps, may have overlooked the 23-year-old for France’s recent friendly matches with Albania and Sweden despite a number of defensive injuries, but international recognition is expected to come soon.
Many others are also taking notice of Napoli’s man mountain with several British newspapers claiming that Manchester United and Chelsea representatives have travelled to Naples to see Koulibaly in action.
Bayern Munich and Real Madrid are also believed to be showing an interest, though as Neapolitan newspaper Il Mattino recently claimed, his transfer value has already quadrupled during his short spell at the southern club.
Many Neapolitans were unhappy with the transfer strategy over the summer with a banner reading “daring doesn’t hurt,” aimed at president Aurelio De Laurentiis during the 2-1 Acqua Lete Cup friendly defeat to Paris Saint-Germain summing up the discontent.
But in their first summer signing they may have finally found a worthy centre-back capable of emulating many of the previous greats.
