Di Natale: Memories of Napoli, Conte’s Offer, and Udinese Legacy

Antonio Di Natale, the former Udinese and Italian national team striker, recently shared insights about his career in a candid interview. The Naples-born player spoke about his emotional connection to his hometown club, despite never playing for them.

“I scored against Napoli nine times, six in just two matches,” Di Natale recalled. “As a Napoli fan, it was always bittersweet. My brothers were there, and it was difficult emotionally.”

When asked why he never played for Napoli, Di Natale simply stated, “They never wanted me.”

The striker also revealed that he turned down offers from Juventus twice. “Delneri wanted me when he was at Juve. I had just renewed my contract with Udinese for four more years. I told President Pozzo, who was like a father to me, ‘I’m staying here forever. If you want me to go to Juve, you’ll have to force me out.'”

Later, Antonio Conte also tried to bring Di Natale to Juventus. The player humorously recounted his response: “You go at a thousand miles per hour, I go slow. What would I do there?”

Di Natale also discussed his role as a “false nine” before it became popular. “One Sunday in Palermo, Pasquale Marino put me at the center of the attack. I didn’t move much, but I scored and helped the team in my own way. The following year, Spalletti had Francesco [Totti] play as a false nine.”

Reflecting on his time at Udinese, Di Natale named Alexis Sanchez as his most talented teammate. “Alexis was incredible at just 17 years old.”

The interview concluded with Di Natale expressing his admiration for the current Napoli team under Conte’s management. “Conte is a phenomenon. He’s creating a masterpiece and has given the team a winning mentality. The title race with Inter will be decided in the last five matches.”