Founded in 1907, Atalanta holds the record for having played the most Serie A seasons (64) without being based in aregional capital and without having won the league title. Furthermore, the club also holds the record for most promotions to the Serie A[a] and the joint-mostSerie B titles, alongsideGenoa.
Atalanta won theCoppa Italia in1963 and theUEFA Europa League in2024.[4] The club qualified for theUEFA Champions League four times, reaching the quarter-finals in2020, and participated in six seasons of the UEFA Europa League (previously known as the UEFA Cup).[b] Atalanta also reached the semi-finals of theCup Winners' Cup in1988, when it was competing in Serie B. This is still the joint-best performance ever by a non-first division club in a majorUEFA competition.[c]
The club plays its home games at theNew Balance Arena and its main kit colors are black and blue. Atalanta has a long-standing rivalry with nearby clubBrescia.[5][6] The club is also famed for itsyouth academy, which has produced several notable talents who have played in the top leagues of Europe.[7]
Performances of Atalanta in theItalian league since the first season of a unified Serie A
Atalanta was founded on 17 October 1907 by students of theLiceo Classico Paolo Sarpi and was named after thefemale athlete of the same name fromGreek mythology.[8] Though it immediately established a football sector,[9] it was not the first football association based in Bergamo:Football Club Bergamo was founded bySwiss emigrants in 1904[10] and was absorbed into another club,Bergamasca, in 1911. TheItalian Football Federation did not recognize Atalanta until 1914, and in 1919 announced that it would only allow one club from Bergamo to compete in thehighest national league (then called the Prima Categoria).[11] As Atalanta and Bergamasca were rivals and did not come to an agreement, admission to the Prima Categoria was decided by a playoff match; Atalanta won this match 2–0.[12] A merger between the two clubs nevertheless occurred in 1920, forming the new clubAtalanta Bergamasca di Ginnastica e Scherma 1907 (shortened toAtalanta Bergamasca Calcio) and establishing its black and blue (nerazzurri) colors.[11][13]
Atalanta competed in theSeconda Divisione, the second tier, during the early 1920s.[14] In the 1927–28 season, the club won its group and subsequently defeatedPistoiese in the playoffs to win promotion and its first second division league triumph.[15] The club inaugurated its current home stadium in the Borgo Santa Caterina neighborhood in 1928,[16] and was admitted toSerie B, the second tier of the restructured Italian league, in 1929.[17][18] After almost a decade in Serie B, Atalanta achieved its first promotion toSerie A in 1937 under coachOttavio Barbieri,[19] though wasrelegated at the end of the season. The club returned to Serie A in 1940 as champion ofSerie B.[14]
During the 1940s, Atalanta performed consistently in the top flight, though the national league was halted between 1943 and 1945 due toWorld War II.[20] Atalanta achieved a fifth-place finish in the1947–48 Serie A under coach Ivo Fiorentini, its highest league finish until 2017.[21][22] The club earned a reputation as theprovinciale terribile (terrible provincial team) during this time as a result of its successes against well-known metropolitan teams such as theGrande Torino, who won Serie A five times during the 1940s.[21][23] Atalanta achieved mid-table finishes during much of the 1950s and remained in Serie A until 1958,[14] when it was relegated due to accusations ofmatch fixing. These accusations were found to be false a year later, after the club returned to Serie A by winning its secondSerie B title.[24]
Coppa Italia victory, decline, and reemergence in Europe (1959–1994)
Atalanta won theCoppa Italia in1963, defeatingTorino 3–1 in thefinal thanks to ahat-trick by strikerAngelo Domenghini.[25] This was the senior team's first major trophy. During the early 1960s, the club made its debut in European competitions, among them the 1961–62Mitropa Cup, the Coppa dell'Amicizia, and the Coppa delle Alpi.[26] As domestic cup winners, the club qualified for the1963–64 European Cup Winners' Cup, its first majorUEFA competition, though was eliminated by Portuguese clubSporting CP in the first round.[25] The club made a few more appearances in international (though not UEFA) cups during the 1960s,[26] though was relegated in 1969 after a decade in the top flight.[14][27]
During the 1970s, Atalanta experienced several movements between Serie A and Serie B, and was in the second tier for four consecutive seasons between 1973 and 1977.[17] Despite playing in Serie B at the time, the club developed several young players who moved on to historically bigger clubs and won the1982 FIFA World Cup withItaly.[28][29] Several difficult seasons then saw Atalanta fall into Serie B in 1980 andSerie C1 in 1981, when for the first time in its history, the club would play outside the top two tiers. This was a blow that revitalized the club, from which many changes in management followed.[30]
Under new management,[31] Atalanta comfortably won Group A of Serie C1 in 1982,[30] returning to Serie B the next season and then to Serie A in 1984, where it would remain until 1987.[14] Atalanta reached its second Coppa Italia final in1987, though lost 4–0 toNapoli overtwo legs.[32] As Napoli also won Serie A that season and therefore qualified for theEuropean Cup, Atalanta qualified for its secondEuropean Cup Winners' Cup.[33] This was a turning point for the club;Emiliano Mondonico was appointed as coach and the club would achieve promotion after only one season in Serie B. In the Cup Winners' Cup, Atalanta lost its first match against Welsh clubMerthyr Tydfil, but won the return fixture and went on to reach the semi-finals, where it would be eliminated 4–2 onaggregate by Belgian clubK.V. Mechelen, who would eventually win the tournament.[34] In doing so, Atalanta achieved the best finish in a UEFA competition of a club playing outside its country's top flight league.[35][d] With a sixth-place finish in the1988–89 Serie A, Atalanta qualified for its firstUEFA Cup, though was eliminated by Russian clubSpartak Moscow in the first round.[31] Atalanta then finished seventh in the1989–90 Serie A and reached the quarterfinals of the1990–91 UEFA Cup, losing to local rival and eventual winnerInternazionale.[38]
Atalanta players Angelo Domenghini andPiero Gardoni hoisting the 1962–63 Coppa Italia
After several upper mid-table finishes and a narrowly missed UEFA cup qualification in 1993,[39][40] the club was relegated in 1994 after several investments to raise the club's goals failed,[41] though would return to Serie A in 1995.[14] In the1995–96 season, Atalanta reached the Coppa Italia final again, losing againstFiorentina. In1996–97 season, strikerFilippo Inzaghi scored 24 league goals and became the first (and so far only) Atalanta player to be namedcapocannoniere (Serie A top scorer).[42][e] The club then sold several key players, causing it to struggle and return to Serie B in 1998;[43] it would remain there until 2000, when coachGiovanni Vavassori revitalized the team with youth academy players in a successful promotion campaign.[44][45]
In the 2000s, Atalanta experienced more divisional movements: it was relegated in2002–03 (despite finishing seventh two years prior) and2004–05,[39] but achieved promotion to Serie A after only one season in Serie B both times, winning the2005–06 edition.[46][47] After a tumultuous 2009–10 season, which saw the club change coach three times, the club was once again relegated;[48] after this relegation, entrepreneurAntonio Percassi became the club's new president.[49][f] andStefano Colantuono returned as coach. The club wonSerie B in 2011 and thus immediately returned to Serie A.[50] Despite this success, club captainCristiano Doni was named among the suspects in amatch-fixing scandal (also known asCalcioscommesse);[51] Doni was handed a three-and-a-half-year ban from football and the club was docked six points in the2011–12 league table and two points in the2012–13 league table.[52][53] Throughout the early and mid-2010s, Atalanta generally lingered in lower-midtable in Serie A.[39]
Atalanta team that finished fourth in Serie A in 2017
FormerGenoa coachGian Piero Gasperini was appointed as manager before the2016–17 season. Despite initial difficulties, the club's results steadily improved throughout the season. Gasperini integrated players from the club'syouth sector and led the club to a fourth-placeleague finish with 72 points, besting its previous records and qualifying for the2017–18 UEFA Europa League after a 26-year absence from UEFA competitions.[22][54] In the Europa League, the club reached the round of 32, losing 4–3 on aggregate toBorussia Dortmund.[55] In2017–18, Atalanta finished seventh in the league, entering the qualifying rounds for2018–19 UEFA Europa League, though was eliminated in apenalty shootout by Danish clubCopenhagen.[56] Despite a difficult start to the2018–19 season, Atalanta achieved many positive results and finished third inSerie A, its best ever league finish; with this result, the club qualified for theUEFA Champions League group stage for the first time in its history.[57] Atalanta also reached theCoppa Italia final, though lost 2–0 toLazio.[58]
In the2019–20 season, Atalanta lost its first threeChampions League matches, but went on to qualify for the round of 16.[59][g] Atalanta then defeated Spanish clubValencia in both legs of the round of 16, reaching the quarterfinals,[60] where it would be eliminated by French championParis Saint-Germain.[61] The club also repeated its third-place finish inSerie A and achieved a second consecutive Champions League qualification, breaking several club records.[62] In the2020–21 season, Atalanta reached the round of 16 in theChampions League for the second time, following an away victory overAjax.[63] They would later secure Champions League qualification by finishing in third place in Serie A for the third consecutive time,[64] and reached theCoppa Italia final for the second time in three years, though they lost 2–1 toJuventus.[65]
On 19 February 2022, a US-based consortium led byStephen Pagliuca acquired a 55% stake of La Dea srl, the controlling company of Atalanta, previously wholly owned by the Percassi family. Under the new agreement, Pagliuca was named co-chairman, with Antonio Percassi staying on as chairman.[2] Atalanta finished eighth in Serie A in 2022, failing to qualify for European competitions, though rebounded the next season with a fifth-place finish in Serie A and qualification to theEuropa League.[66] On 4 August 2023, Atalanta established areserve team in Serie C, becoming the second Italian club to do so.[67] In the2023–24 season, Atalanta reached the2024 Coppa Italia final, losing toJuventus 1–0,[68] and made its debut appearance in a European final, theUEFA Europa League final. In that match, the team defeatedBayer Leverkusen 3–0, thanks to a hat-trick byAdemola Lookman, to claim its first trophy since 1963;[4][69] this was the first time an Italian club won the competition since it changed the name and format. In addition, Atalanta qualified for the2024–25 UEFA Champions League after a three-year absence from the competition.[70] Ahead of the 2025-2026 season,Ivan Jurić was appointed as the new manager.[71]
The first kits adopted by Atalanta after its founding featured thin black and white vertical stripes.[11][72] These were Atalanta's colours until 1920, when the club merged with local rival Bergamasca (which had blue and white kits) in order to compete in the Italian league. Following the merger, the common colour white was eliminated, leaving black and blue (nerazzurri) as the colours of the newly formed Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio.[11][73][74] In the first years following this merger, the club's kits featured black and blue quarters. Atalanta adopted its classic black and blue vertical stripes several years later.[74][75]
Atalanta's home kits have characteristically had black and blue vertical stripes since their adoption in the 1920s. Slight variations in thickness of the stripes have existed over the years, though the club never strayed far from the classic design for its home kits. Atalanta'saway kits have traditionally been mostly white, with various touches of black and blue and other details. The club'sthird kits and goalkeeper kits have not historically adhered to any strict pattern; many colours (among them green, red, light blue, and black) have been used for these over the years.[75][76][77][78]
Since 2010, Atalanta plays its final home match of the calendar year, a "Christmas Match", in specially designed kits. The kits are thenauctioned to raise money for charity.[79][80]
Atalanta has had five crests since its foundation, all of which depict some combination of the team's name (except between 1984 and 1993), colours, and (since 1963) theGreek mythological athleteAtalanta, from whom the club derives its name as well as its nicknameLa Dea.[96][97]
Josip Iličić with Atalanta in 2020 (away kit, featuring the running girl in place of the club's crest)
The club's first three crests were shields featuring the name Atalanta on top, coloured stripes on the left, and another symbolic representation on the right. The original crest dates back to 1907 and had the club's original black and white stripes alongside a blue patch. In 1963, after the club won the Coppa Italia, the crest was redesigned to feature black and blue stripes alongside a running girl representing Atalanta.[96][97] The crest's colours and representation of Atalanta changed again in the 1970s, though followed the same basic shape as the 1963 version.[98]
In 1984, the crest underwent a major redesign: the club's name and the running girl's body were removed from the crest and its shape was changed from a shield to a circle. This "classic" crest featured a whitesilhouette of Atalanta's head on a black and blue background, enclosed in threeconcentric white, black, and golden yellow circles. Black, blue, and white were retained—as the club's colours—while yellow was added to represent thegolden apples, which according to mythology,Hippomenes tossed to Atalanta to distract her and defeat her in afootrace.[97]
The club's modern crest was designed in 1993. It incorporates the 1984 crest into its design, though tilts Atalanta's head and lacks the yellow circle. The name Atalanta and founding year 1907 were added respectively above and below the circle, which is enclosed in anellipse featuring the same split black and blue background as the 1984 design.[96][97]
Atalanta has played at its current stadium, the 24,950-seater Gewiss Stadium in the Borgo Santa Caterina neighborhood of Bergamo, since 1928.[1] Prior to its opening, Atalanta played at several other grounds in Bergamo. Between its founding in 1907 and recognition by the FIGC in 1914, the club did not have a dedicated playing field and only playedfriendly matches in public spaces—the Piazza d'Armi and the Campo di Marte in Bergamo.[99] In 1914, Atalanta's first playing field was established on the Via Maglio del Lotto,[100] near theBergamo–Milan railway. It measured 90 by 45metres (295 by 148 ft) and had a seated capacity of 1,000 spectators.[101][102][103] Due to financial hardship duringWorld War I, though, Atalanta was forced to sell the land containing its field, leaving it without a home ground. As a solution,entrepreneur andphilanthropist Betty Ambiveri sold the Clementina field, an older venue inSeriate that hosted sporting events such as cycling, to the club.[104] The new field was inaugurated as theAtalanta Stadium and it hosted 14,000 spectators in its first match againstLa Dominante ofGenoa.[100]
With the growth of football in the 1920s, Atalanta needed a new stadium.[100] The new stadium was constructed on Viale Margherita (now Viale Giulio Cesare),[10] replacing ahippodrome that once occupied the site.[16][105] Construction of the new stadium took one year; it opened in 1928 and cost 3.5 millionlire.[100] The stadium was named afterfascist Mario Brumana; this was common naming practice infascist Italy.[16][100] The Brumana stadium was much larger than the Clementina field, having a seated capacity of 12,000 spectators in twotribune (side stands) and a larger field measuring 110 by 70 metres (360 by 230 ft);[1] it also featured arunning track, as it was planned to form part of a larger complex. On 1 November 1928, Atalanta played its first unofficial match at the stadium (a 4–2 victory againstTriestina); the stadium was then officially inaugurated on 23 December 1928, when Atalanta defeatedLa Dominante Genova 2–0 in front of over 14,000 spectators.[16]
Curva Nord (north stand) of the Gewiss Stadium
Original concreteCurva Nord in 2012
ReconstructedCurva Nord in 2020
AfterWorld War II, the stadium was renamed theStadio Comunale ("Municipal Stadium"), asfascism no longer existed in Italy.[106] Expansion of the stadium began in the years following the war: the construction of a south stand (theCurva Sud) began in 1949,[105] and a second stand at the north end (theCurva Nord) followed during the 1960s, opening in 1971.[16][107] Later, in 1984, the running track was removed in order to expand the stadium's capacity upon Atalanta's return to Serie A after five years.[105] The club's first match in the1984–85 Serie A, a 1–1 draw against Inter, had an attendance of over 43,000 spectators, a record attendance for the Stadio Comunale.[107][108][k]
TheTribuna Giulio Cesare underwent modernization during the early 1990s, and the stadium was renamed theStadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia ("Blue Athletes of Italy") in 1994.[100] In 1997, following the death of 22-year-old forwardFederico Pisani in a car accident, theCurva Nord was nicknamed theCurva Pisani in his honor.[109] Similarly, theCurva Sud was nicknamed theCurva Morosini in 2012 to posthumously honor 25-year-old youth academy playerPiermario Morosini,[110] who died following collapse on the field during a Serie B match betweenPescara andLivorno.[111] In 2015, the stadium also expanded its side stands to offer pitchside views only several meters (feet) from the benches, a revolutionary feature of Italian stadiums at the time.[105][106]
On 10 May 2017, Atalanta announced the acquisition of the stadium from thecomune for 8.6 millioneuros,[105] becoming one of only four Serie A clubs to own its home stadium.[112][l] This acquisition allowed the club to authorize a renovation project for the stadium,[112] for like many Italian stadiums, much of its structure and facilities were considered outdated.[106][113] This renovation project was also necessary to upgrade the stadium to meet UEFA standards for hosting matches in UEFA competitions. Because the stadium was not ready at the time, Atalanta had to play its Europa League home matches at theMapei Stadium inReggio Emilia and its Champions League home matches in its debut season atSan Siro inMilan.[114][115]
Following a sponsorship agreement with electronics companyGewiss lasting at least until 2025, the stadium was renamed the Gewiss Stadium on 1 July 2019.[116][117] On 6 October 2019, the renovatedCurva Nord was inaugurated for Atalanta's home match againstLecce;[118] it has covered seating for over 9,000 spectators.[119] A year later, both side stands underwent modernization and theCurva Sud had temporary seats installed on theconcrete.[120][121] These upgrades allowed Atalanta to play its Champions League matches in Bergamo starting in the 2020–21 season.[122][123] The final phase will feature a rebuiltCurva Sud (mirroring the rebuiltCurva Nord), which will increase the stadium's capacity to about 25,000, as well as construction of a new underground parking garage and other improvements to the stadium's surroundings.[124] It was originally expected to be completed in 2021, though following several delays,[16][125] the start of construction its completion is expected by August 2024,[126] with demolition of theCurva Sud beginning in June 2023.[127] Atalanta will still be able to play its home matches at the Gewiss Stadium during construction,[124] though the stadium will have a capacity of 3,500 fewer spectators.[127]
The stadium in Bergamo has also been used as a home ground by local Serie C clubAlbinoLeffe from 2003 to 2019 (when it moved toGorgonzola), a period during which AlbinoLeffe spent nine years in Serie B andmet Atalanta on several occasions.[106][128][129] On occasion, Atalanta's youth team also plays competitive matches at the Gewiss Stadium, most recently theSupercoppa Primavera in 2021.[130]
Atalanta trains at the Centro Sportivo Bortolotti inZingonia [it], a complex first constructed during the community's development in the 1960s, before being acquired for Atalanta by president Achille Bortolotti and inaugurated in 1977.[131][132] The complex is used by the senior team for training and some friendlies, and the youth teams for training and home matches in youth competitions such as theCampionato Primavera 1.[133][134] Atalanta's renowned youth academy (Scuola di Calcio; see below) is also based in Zingonia, and has been a continuous point of investment for the club since its establishment.[131][135]
"Being a fan of Atalanta is part of the identity of Bergamo."[136]
—Local newspaperL'Eco di Bergamo editor-in-chief Andrea Valesini (translated), 2020
According to a 2022 survey[update], Atalanta is the 9th-most supported club in Italy, with an estimated 314,000 supporters.[137] Although Atalanta supporters are vastly outnumbered in Italy by fans of more titled clubs, the club's performances in recent years have drawn additional support, especially among younger generations. An increase of 43% was reported since 2019,[138][139] peaking at about 350,000 in 2021,[138] and decreasing by 10% after the club failed to qualify for European competitions in 2022.[137] The club has also worked to grow its fanbase with theNeonati Atalantini initiative, implemented in 2010 by president Percassi, which gifts a free Atalanta replica shirt to all newborns born within the city limits of Bergamo. As of 2020[update], over 36,000 shirts have been distributed; similar programs have been more recently adopted by other Italian clubs as well.[140]
Most of the club's fans reside within theProvince of Bergamo; conversely, there are very strong ties between Atalanta and Bergamo's residents, who often gather together in close-knit groups in support of the club.[141] Atalanta supporters (tifosi) are considered to be among the most passionate and loyal fans in Italy.[113] Atalanta'sUltras gather mostly in theCurva Nord as the unified group Curva Nord 1907, formed from members of various Ultras groups under the leadership of Claudio "Il Bocia" Galimberti during the early 2000s.[142] TheCurva Nord Ultras were historicallyleftist but are nowapolitical.[113][143] A separate Ultras group, Forever Atalanta, gathers in theCurva Sud, and is believed to still be leftist.[113] Atalanta Ultras have a reputation as one of the mostviolent Ultras groups in Italy, self-describing as "we hate everybody", and indeed having few friends and many strong rivalries.[113][143][144] The club and its Ultras have been punished on multiple occasions by the Italian Football League for violent orracist conduct.[145][146]
Choreography on display in theCurva Nord during the1996 Coppa Italia Final, including the large striped flag
On match days, theCurva Nord often features flares,fireworks, andchoreography, and sometimes is covered by a large black-and-blue striped flag (see image).[113][144] During the 2018–19 season,[m] Atalanta matches had an average home attendance of 18,248,[147] of whom an estimated 15,676 were season ticket holders.[147]
Since 2002, Atalanta supporters have organizedLa Festa della Dea (the Festival of the Goddess), a multi-day festival to celebrate the club, almost every summer.[113][144][148] The celebration features music, local cuisine, and reverence for the club's history, management, and players (both former and current players).[149][141] Some contemporary players and coaches also have appeared at the celebration, most recently in 2018.[150]
Atalanta supporters have a long-standing friendship (gemellaggio; twinning) with supporters ofTernana.[113] The friendship between the two clubs' supporters is one of the oldest and strongest in Italy, persevering since the 1980s.[151][152] Historically, both clubs' Ultras were brought together by shared political views, and they frequently visit the other club'sCurva.[143][153] Supporters of the club also have a historical twinning with supporters of German clubEintracht Frankfurt, a friendship similarly rooted in shared political views.[143][154] There are also friendly relations between fans of Atalanta and fans ofSpezia (since Atalanta's run in the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1988),[155]Cosenza,Cavese, and Austrian clubWacker Innsbruck.[143]
Atalanta supporters share their most intenserivalry [it] with supporters ofnearby clubBrescia.[156] Meetings between the two clubs are sometimes known as theDerby Lombardo (Lombard Derby).[157][158] This rivalry has its roots in a historical feud between Bergamo andBrescia dating back to theMiddle Ages, beginning in 1126 when Bergamo expanded its territory by acquiring land put up for sale by Brescia; this led to a series of territorial disputes and armed conflicts between the two cities, among them theBattle of Cortenuova in 1237.[156][6] Although armed conflict eventually ended and both cities were unified under theKingdom of Italy in 1861, the cities' historical rivalry has defined the atmosphere of matches between Atalanta and Brescia for the entirety of the clubs' history. In 1993, tension between the clubs' supporters escalated further following a match (won 2–0 by Brescia) that was suspended three times due to violence in the stands, which resulted in over 20 spectators being hospitalized.[5][6]
Since at least 1977, a heartfelt rivalry has existed between fans of Atalanta andTorino.[159] There have been various altercations between the clubs' Ultras during matches between the clubs, though some fans share a mutual respect or consider each other "respected enemies".[160] The Atalanta–Torino rivalry also gave rise to a short-lived friendship (lasting until the early 1980s) between supporters of Atalanta andJuventus—Torino'scity rival—though Atalanta supporters now also consider Juventus a hated rival.[143][159] In addition to Juventus, there are also strong rivalries between Atalanta and Italy's other well-supported clubs:[138]Roma,Milan,Inter,Napoli, andLazio, andFiorentina.[143] The rivalry between Atalanta and Roma emerged in 1984 after once-friendly relations between the two clubs' Ultras deteriorated.[161] Milan and Atalanta have had a long-standing rivalry fueled by the friendship between fans of Brescia and Milan[152] as well as a controversial episode during aCoppa Italia match in 1990 that infuriated the Atalanta fans.[162] Matches between Inter and Atalanta have seen violence among Ultras since the early 1970s, fueled by political differences as well as the clubs' shared black and blue colors.[163] Atalanta's rivalry with Lazio has been historically characterized by opposing political views[164]—respectively far left against farright[152]—though greatly intensified following Lazio's Coppa Italia triumph over Atalanta in 2019.[165] The rivalry between Atalanta and Fiorentina has intensified during Gian Piero Gasperini's tenure as Atalanta manager (also corresponding to Atalanta's qualification to European competitions); multiple tense episodes have occurred during and after matches between the two clubs.[166] There are also strong rivalries between supporters of Atalanta and supporters ofBologna,Como (a regional rivalry since the 1980s),[167]Genoa,Hellas Verona,Pisa, andVicenza, as well as Croatian clubDinamo Zagreb.[143]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Atalanta's current manager (head coach) isRaffaele Palladino, who assumed the role on 11 November 2025.[170] The club has had a total of 61 managers (includingplayer-managers, assistants acting as head coach, andcaretaker managers) since the club hired its first professional coach,Cesare Lovati, in 1925.[171][172] Gian Piero Gasperini, who led the club to its highest league finishes andUEFA Champions League qualification between 2019 and 2021, as well as aUEFA Europa League title in2024, has the most appearances as manager in the club's history (438 matches across all competitions) and the longest uninterrupted tenure as Atalanta manager (seven consecutive seasons).[173][174] The club's second-longest-serving manager isEmiliano Mondonico, who oversaw 299 matches in all competitions—including aEuropean Cup Winners' Cup and aUEFA Cup—in two spells (1987–90 and 1994–98).[175][173]Stefano Colantuono, who also was manager on two different occasions (2005–07 and 2010–15), is the club's third-longest serving manager, with 281 appearances in total.[citation needed]
Atalanta have had several presidents (chairmen) (Italian:presidenti,lit. 'presidents' orItalian:presidenti del consiglio di amministrazione,lit. 'chairmen of the board of directors') over the course of their history. Some of them have been the main shareholder of the club. The longest-serving chairman is Ivan Ruggeri, who was relieved of his duties after he suffered a stroke in January 2008, being replaced by his son Alessandro[177] who was named chairman of Atalanta in September 2008. Alessandro's father was unable to manage the team due to the consequences of the stroke.[178]In June 2010, after another relegation to Serie B, Alessandro Ruggeri sold his share of the club toAntonio Percassi, who became the new chairman of Atalanta.[49]
A youngGaetano Scirea, one of the most famous footballers produced by the Atalanta youth system, during the 1972–73 season
The Atalanta youth system consists of four men's teams that participate in separate national leagues (Primavera, Allievi Nazionali A and B, and Giovanissimi Nazionali) and two that participate at a regional level (Giovanissimi Regionali A and B).[180]
The first person who was committed to set up the Atalanta youth teams was Giuseppe Ciatto. Every organisational aspect was dealt with and resolved by him, and he also took care to train the various teams. In 1949 Atalanta won theCampionato Ragazzi.
In the late 1950s former Atalanta player Luigi Tentorio (then Special Commissioner of the club) felt the need to start investing more systematically in youth: he decided to create a real youth sector, with its own independent structure from the first team. The youth sector was entrusted to Giuseppe Brolis, who created a partnership with various clubs in theVeneto andFriuli regions, building a network of scouts and young coaches.
A crucial step in the history of the Bergamo youth sector took place in the early 1990s when the presidentAntonio Percassi implemented a new investment policy, especially at the youth level. He managed to convinceFermo Favini to leaveComo and entrusted him with the responsibility of the youth sector.
The Atalanta youth system not only continued to increase the production of players for the first team, but began to win several honours in the most important national leagues. From 1991 to 2014, the various youth teams have won 17 national titles.
Apart from successes at youth level, the Atalanta youth system is also one of the most highly regarded in Europe: according to a ranking by the study centre in Coverciano, Atalanta have the top youth system in Italy and the sixth in Europe, behindReal Madrid,Barcelona and three French teams. The parameters used were the number of first division players produced by the club.[181] In the 2007–08 season, 22 players from Atalanta's youth played inSerie A, 32 inSerie B and 3 abroad.[181]
In 2014, a global study of the "CIES Football Observatory", placed the Atalanta youth system eighth place in the world, with 25 former youth players who play in the top 5 European leagues.[182]
On 4 August 2023, Atalanta established areserve team in Serie C, becoming the second Italian club to do so.[67]
^Welsh clubCardiff City also reached the semi-finals of the1967–68 Cup Winners' Cup while playing outside a top flight league.[36] However, it played in the EnglishFootball League Second Division because Wales did not have its own league system at the time.[37] Atalanta therefore achieved the best run at a UEFA competition of a club playing inits country's second tier.
^This was Inzaghi's only season at the club before he would move on toJuventus andMilan, though his 24 league goals for Atalanta remained the most he scored in a Serie A season.[42]
^This was his second spell as president; his first was from 1990 to 1994.
^This was only the second time a club has advanced to the round of 16 after losing its opening three matches, afterNewcastle United in2002–03.[59]
^Manifattura Sebina had a sponsorship agreement with Atalanta, but only appeared on the club's pre-match kits.[82][83]
^Bergamopost / Oriocenter / Consorzio Fidi Confartigianato Bergamo - Confiab / Stone City / Caffè Toraldo / Italia Paghe / ONE Power&Gas
^Atalanta's sponsorship deal with SuisseGas was originally set to last until June 2017, though was terminated early due to the company's financial struggles and failure to pay the club. As a result, the deal was terminated early (on 17 February 2017) and the club announced TWS as a replacement main shirt sponsor for the remainder of the season.[88]
^The club's home attendance record was later broken in 2020, though that match was not played in Bergamo.[107]
^The other three are Juventus, Sassuolo, and Udinese. All the remaining Serie A clubs play in municipally-owned stadiums.[112]
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