What's Behind Success First Episode: Bologna F.C. 1909

In today's first blog post, Edoardo & his team had the incredible opportunity to undertake a series of interviews with different players and staff members of Bologna Football Club. Each one of them shared their inspiring insights on what their job consists in and how they handle their responsibilities into the world of italian soccer. From dedication and hard work to mental strength and resilience, our interviewees provided glimpses into what it takes to succeed in today's competitive landscape and what youngsters should do if they want to work in this specific field.

The Team Logo

For those who don't know what Bologna F.C. is, Bologna is an italian soccer team that plays in in the 1st division of the Italian League also known as Serie A. Founded in 1909 Bologna has 7 Scudettos in their trophy case and a team market value of over 285 million euros, this team is the reflection of the greatness of the capital city of Emilia-Romagna.

This club is known to have a unique history from success to failure to rebirth, Bologna has fought for relegation for over decades and during the 2014-2015 season the club was relegated in second division: Serie B. This was truly a downfall that struck both the fans and the city itself.

Bologna player Cristaldo desperate after loosing the Serie A playout 2-1 against Catania

Photo Credits: Ansa and Gazzetta Dello Sport

After this brutal relegation Bologna played a season in Serie B and eventually requalified for Serie A. From this moment onwards the president Joey Saputo decided to create a new project one that 10 years later led to success. Bologna in the next Serie A seasons continued to fight for relegation and was able to stay in the first division however a new spark came during the 2018-2019 season with the coach Sinisa Mihajlovic who brought the team to 10th place. In the next years the club gradually improved by buying key players and this eventually reflected in the 2023-2024 season where Bologna after placing 4th, qualified for the UEFA Champions League, a qualification that united the entire city and brought Bologna to play with the best teams in Europe.

Bologna FC UEFA Champions League Celebrative Manifest

In the 2024-2025 season Bologna improved even further than the year before. In fact despite being knocked out the Champions League, the rossoblù were able to win the Coppa Italia a trophy that was missing from their cabinet since 51 years and gave direct access to next season's UEFA Europa League.

Bologna FC Lifting the Coppa Italia Trophy After Winning 1-0 The Final Against AC Milan Credits: The Cult of Calcio

Edoardo & his team wanted to investigate what was behind this past success and so they decided to interview different components of the team's staff: from doctors to athletic preparators, from logistics organizers and youth sector coordinator to match analyst and from general manager to the team captain each one of them gave truly inspirational insights on their job and advice to those who one day like Edoardo aspire to work in a professional soccer club and pursue their career in sports management.