View source for US Lecce

{{Short description|Football club in Lecce, Italy}}
{{EngvarB|date=May 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}
{{Infobox football club
| clubname = Lecce
| image = US Lecce crest.svg
| upright = 0.65
| fullname = Unione Sportiva Lecce [[Società per azioni|S.p.A.]] (Sports Union Lecce S.p.A.)
| nickname = {{ubl|''I Giallorossi'' (The Yellow and Reds)|''I [[Salento|Salentini]]'' (The Salentians)|''I Lupi'' (The Wolves)}}
| founded = {{ubl|17 March 1908 (forerunner)|16 September 1927|1934 (re-founded)}}
| ground = [[Stadio Via del mare]]
| capacity = 31,533<ref name="gazzetta.it">{{Cite web|url=https://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Serie-A/Lecce/12-08-2019/lecce-agibilita-tempo-record-il-via-mare-pronto-il-ritorno-ventura-3401619556954.shtml|title=Lecce, agibilità a tempo di record per il Via del Mare. E domenica arriva l'ex Ventura|website=La Gazzetta dello Sport|access-date=6 December 2020}}</ref>
| owner = [[:it:Saverio Sticchi Damiani|Saverio Sticchi Damiani]] (majority)<br>[[Alvin Sariaatmadja]] (minority)<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnbcindonesia.com/research/20240516075704-128-538557/daftar-taipan-ri-pemilik-klub-bola-eropa-ada-hartono-erick-thohir|title=Daftar Taipan RI Pemilik Klub Bola Eropa, Ada Hartono & Erick Thohir|trans-title=List of Indonesian Tycoons Who Own European Football Clubs, There Are Hartono & Erick Thohir|first=Robertus|last=Andrianto|website=[[CNBC Indonesia]]|date=24 May 2024|access-date=17 July 2024|lang=id}}</ref>
| chrtitle = President
| chairman = [[:it:Saverio Sticchi Damiani|Saverio Sticchi Damiani]]
| manager = [[Eusebio Di Francesco]]
| league = {{Italian football updater|Lecce}}
| season = {{Italian football updater|Lecce2}}
| position = {{Italian football updater|Lecce3}}
| website = {{URL|https://www.uslecce.it/|uslecce.it}}
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| current = 2025–26 US Lecce season
}}

'''Unione Sportiva Lecce''' ({{IPA|it|ˈlettʃe}}) is a [[Football in Italy|professional Italian football]] club based in [[Lecce]], [[Apulia]]. The club play in [[Serie A]] for the [[2025–26 Serie A|2025–26 season]], the top level of the [[Italian football league system|Italian football pyramid]]. Lecce plays its home games at [[Stadio Via del Mare]], which has a capacity of 31,533 spectators.

The club was formed in 1927 upon an idea of 1908 and has spent a large part of their recent history bouncing between Italy's second division and Serie A, where the team debuted in the [[1985–86 Serie A|1985–86]] season. Its best Serie A finish is the ninth place obtained in the [[1988–89 Serie A|1988–89 season]]. The club is 25th in the Serie A all-time table and is the second club from [[Apulia]] with appearances in the first two tiers of Italian football, with 19 Serie A seasons and 29 Serie B seasons.

Lecce won Serie B titles in [[2021–22 Serie B|2022]] and [[2009–10 Serie B|2010]], a [[Coppa Italia Lega Pro|Coppa Italia Serie C]] in 1975 and an [[Anglo-Italian Cup]] Semiprofessionals in 1976.

Lecce players and fans are nicknamed ''[[Salento|salentini]]'' or simply ''giallorossi'' or ''lupi''.

==History==
[[File:Lecce through the ages 2023.jpg|thumb|upright=1.44|The performance of Lecce in the Italian football league structure since the first season of a unified Serie A (1929/30)]]
Lecce was founded as '''Sporting Club Lecce''' on 15 March 1908, initially including [[association football|football]], [[track-and-field]] and cycling sports. The first club president was Francesco Marangi. The first colours worn by Lecce during this time were black and white stripes, known in Italy as ''bianconeri''.

In its formative years, Lecce played in mostly regional leagues and competitions. During the 1923–24 season, the club dissolved before returning on 16 September 1927 as '''Unione Sportiva Lecce'''. The club was still wearing black and white stripes (similar to [[Juventus F.C.|Juventus]]' kit) at this point, and the first president under the name Unione Sportiva Lecce was Luigi López y Rojo.

===League: Early years 1930s, 40s and 50s===
[[Taranto Sport]] played Lecce in a game for promotion to [[Serie B]] from the local Southern Italian league; Lecce were victorious winning 3–2 after [[extra time]]. They were entered into [[Serie B]] for the 1929–30 season. The first game match played in the league was against [[Novara Calcio|Novara]] on 6 October 1929, a 2–1 victory. Lecce would eventually finish 13th. However, for the second time in the club's history, it ceased activity at the end of the 1931–32 season.

Four years later, Lecce returned and competed [[Serie C]], finishing 11th in their return season. Around this time, the club was in turmoil: the following season they withdrew from Serie C after four days, and then during the 1938–39 season, they finished in third place but were moved down to 12th after it was revealed the club had violated the league's federal regulations.

The club finished in first place during the 1943–44 season, but club football was then suspended due to [[World War II]]. Nonetheless, when club football resumed, Lecce finished as champions of Serie C, gaining promotion back into Serie B. Two decent seasons followed (finishing fourth and third in respective seasons), with star player Silvestri scoring 20 goals in one season, before the club was relegated.

Lecce stayed down in Serie C for six seasons during this period, though this was not a particularly successful time for the club. Striker Anselmo Bislenghi scored 83 goals for the club during this period, thus becoming a hero. The club slipped even lower to [[Serie D|Serie IV]], where they spent three years.

===Seventeen seasons of Serie C: 1960s, 70s and 80s===
From 1959 to 1975, Lecce played 17 seasons in Serie C. They came extremely close to promotion several times during that period, finishing in second place three consecutive seasons (1971–72 to 1973–74) before gaining promotion in the 1975–76 season.

The same year as their promotion, Lecce tasted cup success, winning the [[Coppa Italia Serie C]]. In 1976, Lecce took part in the [[Anglo-Italian Cup#Semi-professional era|Anglo-Italian Cup]], notching up a 4–0 victory against [[Scarborough F.C.|Scarborough]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rsssf.com/tablesa/angloitalian.html&nbsp;–|title=RSSSF|access-date=6 December 2020}}{{dead link|date=February 2023|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

In 1980, a scandal occurred which rocked [[Italian football]], including Lecce under president Franco Jurlano. However, Jurlano was able to demonstrate his innocence and the scandal only lead to disqualification of player Claudius Merlo. Later, the club was struck by a tragedy in 1983: players [[Michele Lo Russo]] and Ciro Pezzella died in an [[automotive]] accident. To this day, Lo Russo remains the club record holder for most number of appearances, with 415.

===Promotion to Serie A: mid-1980s and 90s===
Under the management of [[Eugenio Fascetti]], Lecce would achieve promotion to [[Serie A]] for the first time in 1985. They finished bottom and were relegated after only one season, but defeated [[A.S. Roma|Roma]] 3–2 away in the penultimate game to deal a fatal blow to Roma's title hopes. Losing a promotion play-off 2–1 to [[A.C. Cesena|Cesena]] the following season, they would return to Serie A in 1988.

Under [[Carlo Mazzone]], Lecce finished a respectable ninth place in 1989. Stars of the side included striker [[Pedro Pasculli]] and midfielders [[Antonio Conte]] and [[Paolo Benedetti]]. They lasted three seasons before relegation, and returned two years later. The 1993–94 season saw Lecce finish in last place with a pitiful 11 points, the lowest ever of any Serie A team, and a second relegation came the following year.

[[Giampiero Ventura]] saw Lecce achieve two successive promotions from Serie C to Serie A before leaving for [[Cagliari Calcio|Cagliari]]. Once more, it proved a struggle in Serie A despite the best efforts of striker [[Francesco Palmieri (footballer, born 1967)|Francesco Palmieri]] and a famous away win against [[A.C. Milan|Milan]] on 19 October 1997.

In the summer of 1998, [[Pantaleo Corvino]] was appointed new sports director, gaining a reputation for scouting new talents in the years to come. The team was good enough to return to Serie A in 1999 and begin another three-year stint in the top-flight, with yet another return to Serie A in 2003.

===Three years in Serie A (2003–2006)===
[[File:Via del mare-curva nord.jpg|thumb|250px|Lecce-[[SS Lazio|Lazio]] 5–3, [[Stadio Via del Mare]], 1 May 2005]]
In 2004, under [[Delio Rossi]], who had been managing the club since 2002, Lecce achieved an impressive result, reaching a high-point of tenth despite a poor first half of the season. Famous performances include two consecutive sensational victories, first against Italian giants Juventus 3–4 in [[Turin]] (the first ever win at the [[Stadio Delle Alpi]] for Lecce) and then in the [[Stadio Via del Mare]] against [[Inter Milan|Internazionale]], 2–1.

In [[2004–05 Serie A|2004–05]], coach [[Zdeněk Zeman]] oversaw a highly attack-minded team that scored plenty of goals. Lecce ended the year again finishing tenth, putting in the spotlight talents like [[Valeri Bojinov]] and [[Mirko Vučinić]]. The team had the second-best attack with 66 goals (Juventus came first with 67) and the worst defence, with 73 goals conceded. This is a record, as for the first time the team with the worst defence managed to survive in the history of Serie A.

The [[2005–06 Serie A|2005–06 season]] was a continual struggle for Lecce. The club changed its manager two times ([[Silvio Baldini]] for [[Angelo Adamo Gregucci]] and in January 2006 youth team coach [[Roberto Rizzo]], supported by goalkeeper coach [[Franco Paleari]], for Baldini). The numerous managerial moves could not turn Lecce's fortune as they were relegated with a few games to spare and ended the season in 19th place. In June 2006, Giovanni Semeraro returned at the helm of the club after nine months. The club re-appointed Zdeněk Zeman as manager, just one year after he left the club.

Lecce was unable to avoid relegation from Serie A, despite some initial hope due to the [[Serie A scandal of 2006|Serie A match-fixing scandal]].

===Two-year stint in Serie B and promotion===
The club had a mixed start to the [[2006–07 Serie B|2006–07 season]] in Serie B, winning three home matches (including a win against early league leaders [[Genoa C.F.C.|Genoa]]), though they suffered poor away form. After a large drop in form, recording 10 losses in 18 matches, Zeman was sacked as manager and replaced by [[Giuseppe Papadopulo]]. On 10 March 2007, Lecce clinched a historical victory over [[Frosinone Calcio|Frosinone]], beaten 5–0 at Stadio Via del Mare. Having gained 36 points in the second half of the season, Lecce ended the season in the middle of the table, in ninth place. In 2007, Lecce gained more points than any other team in Serie B.

The [[2007–08 Serie B|2007–08 season]] saw Lecce fight for a place in Serie A for the next season. Despite earning 83 points (12 more than sixth-placed [[Pisa Calcio|Pisa]]) and boasting the best defence in the tournament, the ''giallorossi'' were forced to face play-offs for promotion in the top flight. In the semi-final, they beat Pisa in both legs (1–0 away and 2–1 at home) to secure a place in the final against [[Unione Calcio AlbinoLeffe|AlbinoLeffe]]. Then they won the first leg 1–0 away, before securing a 1–1 draw in the second leg at the Studio Via del Mare to gain promotion.

===Between Serie A and Serie B===
[[File:Festa lecce 2010.jpg|thumb|250px|Fans celebrating the club's eighth promotion to Serie A in May 2010]]
After persistent rumours, Papadopulo quit due to a difference of opinion with the general manager of the club and was replaced by [[Mario Beretta]], who had a quite satisfactory start in the [[2008–09 Serie A]] season. He remained in charge for twenty-seven games, but, due to four defeats in the last five matches, with the team one point below the survival zone, he was sacked and [[Luigi De Canio]] was appointed new manager. Seven points earned in ten matches were not enough to secure Lecce a spot in the next Serie A season. Relegation was official with one match to spare, after a 1–1 home draw against [[ACF Fiorentina|Fiorentina]].

Lecce had a mixed start in the [[2009–10 Serie B]] campaign, but clinched first place in November 2009 and kept it for the rest of the season. In May, the team was on the verge of promotion, but wasted opportunities in their last two matches meant they had to wait until the last match to celebrate their eighth elevation to the top flight in the last 25 years. A goalless home draw with [[U.S. Sassuolo Calcio|Sassuolo]] proved enough to clinch the Serie B title with 75 points and win the [[Coppa Ali della Vittoria]].

Lecce ended a satisfactory [[2010–11 Serie A]] season successfully avoiding relegation with one match to spare after beating arch-rival and already relegated [[A.S. Bari|Bari]] 2–0 away on 15 May 2011. In the last few matches, the team managed to win a tough battle against other underdogs and some glorious teams such as [[U.C. Sampdoria|Sampdoria]] that ended the season in despair. Manager [[Luigi De Canio]] left the team in June.

In the [[2011–12 Serie A]] season, Lecce was relegated to Serie B. The start of the season was bad and new manager [[Eusebio Di Francesco]] was sacked in December, after 9 losses in 13 matches. [[Serse Cosmi]] was appointed new manager. Lecce refused to crumble as Cosmi's arrival instilled battling qualities into the relegation strugglers, who managed to gain a considerable number of points in the following months, but eventually failed to avoid relegation, due to four losses in the last five matches. Lecce managed to struggle until the final game.

===Third division years===
On 10 August 2012, Lecce was provisionally relegated by the Disciplinary Commission set up for the ''[[2011–12 Italian football scandal|Scommessopoli]]'' scandal investigations [[2012–13 Lega Pro Prima Divisione]] because of their involvement. Furthermore, the former president of Lecce, Semeraro, was suspended from all football activities for five years.<ref name=ninemsn>{{Cite web|url=https://www.goal.com/en/news/10/italy/2012/08/10/3298024/breaking-news-conte-handed-10-month-ban-in-scommessopoli|title=Conte handed 10-month ban in Scommessopoli scandal &#124; Goal.com|website=www.goal.com|access-date=6 December 2020}}</ref> On 22 August 2012, Lecce's relegation was confirmed by the Federal Court of Justice.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Calcio-Infetto/21-08-2012/sentenze-sconto-conte-lecce-non-ha-scampo-912330326630.shtml|title=Conte, confermati 10 mesi|website=Ultime notizie sportive - La Gazzetta dello Sport|access-date=6 December 2020}}</ref> In the first season back into the third tier, Lecce ended in second place behind outsiders [[Trapani Calcio|Trapani]] and was surprisingly defeated in the promotion playoffs finals by another outsider club, [[Carpi F.C. 1909|Carpi]]. The following season ended in similar fashion, with Lecce failing to win the league once again and then losing the playoffs finals, this time to [[Frosinone Calcio|Frosinone]], despite a number of high-level signings such as former [[U.S. Città di Palermo|Palermo]] star, and well-known Lecce supporter, [[Fabrizio Miccoli]]. In 2014–15 Lecce ended the season in sixth place and did not enter the playoffs.

Following the departure of the Tesoro family, the club was taken over by a consortium of entrepreneurs led by Saverio Sticchi Damiani. The club ended the 2015–16 season in third place, two points behind the second-placed team, and qualified for the playoffs round. After defeating [[Bassano Virtus|Bassano]] 3–0 at home, in the semi-finals Lecce lost to [[Foggia Calcio|Foggia]] in both the home and the away match. In the following season, Lecce finished in second place. The elimination came in the play-off quarterfinals against [[U.S. Alessandria Calcio 1912|Alessandria]] on [[Penalty shoot-out (association football)|penalties]] after two draws in two matches.

===Back to the top===
In September 2017, [[Fabio Liverani]] was named new coach of Lecce, with whom he achieved two direct promotions from Serie C to Serie A, thus bringing the Salento club back to the Italian top-tier league after seven years.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lecce: 'We deserved promotion' |url=https://www.football-italia.net/137953/lecce-we-deserved-promotion |access-date=30 September 2019 |publisher=Football Italia |date=12 May 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Ridge |first1=Patric |title=Lecce seal promotion to Serie A |url=https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/serie-a-football-news-lecce-double-promotion-back-in-a-league-after-seven-years-frosinone-spal-benevento-parma/article27104557.ece |access-date=30 September 2019 |work=The Hindu |date=11 May 2019}}</ref> Lecce then fought against [[Genoa CFC|Genoa]] for survival and made it to the last day of the [[2019–20 Serie A|2019–20 season]] before being relegated with a home loss to Parma.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lecce 3 - 4 Parma |url=https://www.football-italia.net/SerieA/match/142742 |access-date=17 August 2020 |publisher=Football Italia |date=2 August 2020}}</ref> The ''salentini'' missed out promotion to Serie A in the [[2020–21 Serie B|2020–21 season]], losing to [[Venezia Football Club|Venezia]] in the play-off semifinals after a 4th-place finish, but then, with coach [[Marco Baroni]], won the [[2021–22 Serie B]] championship, thus celebrating their tenth elevation to the top flight and being awarded the Coppa Nexus. Lecce striker [[Massimo Coda]] was top scorer of the Serie B for two sonsecutive seasons (2020–21 and 2021–22). The ''giallorossi'' side then gained survival in the next Serie A campaign with a game to spare, with Baroni and Lecce parting ways at the end of the 2022–23 season.

==Colours, badge, nicknames, and symbols==
The team plays in red and yellow stripes, the heraldic colours of city. Lecce players and fans are referred to as ''[[Salento|salentini]]'' or ''giallorossi''. The official anthem of Lecce is ''Giallorossi per Sempre'' composed by Gioy Rielli. The symbol of Lecce is a female [[wolf]] under a [[Quercus ilex|holm oak]] tree which is typical to [[Apulia]] and is also the symbol of the city of [[Lecce]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.japigia.com/le/lecce/index.shtml?A=lecce_4|title=Storia dello Stemma|website=www.japigia.com|access-date=6 December 2020}}</ref>

==Stadium==
Lecce's home games are played in the 31,533-seater<ref name="gazzetta.it"/> [[Stadio Via del mare]].

== Club rivalries ==
The main rivalry is with the other most successful football team from Apulia, [[S.S.C. Bari|Bari]]. The match against them is called ''Derby di Puglia''.<ref name=ultra>{{cite book | last= Pozzoni| first= Stefano| title= Dove sono gli ultrà?| publisher= Zelig| year= 2005| page= 134}}</ref> The first ''Derby di Puglia'' was played on 8 December 1929 in [[Serie B]] in [[Lecce]], with the home team winning 1–0.<ref name="Bari-Lecce">{{Cite web|url=https://www.solobari.it/almanacco/precedenti.php?avversaria=Lecce&serie=T|title=ALMANACCO SOLOBARI.IT - L'archivio storico sull'A.S. Bari|website=www.solobari.it|access-date=6 December 2020}}</ref> After that occasion, the derby di Puglia was played many times in [[Serie C]] and [[Coppa Italia]], and especially in [[Serie A]]. The first derby played in Serie A was played on 27 October 1985 in Bari, and was won by the home team.<ref name="Bari-Lecce"/> The last one was also played in Bari on 15 May 2011 and saw Lecce prevailing by 2-0 and securing their stay in Serie A<ref>[http://corrieredelmezzogiorno.corriere.it/lecce/notizie/sport/2011/15-maggio-2011/derby-lecce-jeda-firma-salvezzaal-san-nicola-rabbia-tifosi-bari-190651252400.shtml Il derby al Lecce, Jeda firma la salvezza. Al San Nicola rabbia dei tifosi del Bari], ''[[Corriere del Mezzogiorno]]'', 15 maggio 2011</ref> (however that match was later object of an investigation for match-fixing).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.goal.com/it/news/3702/scommessopoli/2012/01/21/2858219/scommessopoli-la-testimonianza-di-masiello-apre-nuovi|title=Scommessopoli, la testimonianza di Masiello apre nuovi scenari. Sotto accusa 9 match in A del Bari! &#124; Goal.com|website=www.goal.com|access-date=6 December 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ilgiornale.it/news/calcioscommesse-all-italiana-altri-41-indagati.html|title=CALCIOSCOMMESSE ALL'ITALIANA: ALTRI 41 INDAGATI|date=20 January 2012|publisher=[[Il Giornale]]|access-date=6 December 2020}}</ref> Among the most important wins in the derby for Lecce there is a Serie B match ended 4–0 in Bari on 22 December 2007.

On the other end, Lecce has a famous and long-standing friendship with the fans of [[S.S.D. Palermo|Palermo]].<ref name=ultra/>

==Players==

===Current squad===
{{Updated|27 August 2025|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://uslecce.it/giocatori/squadra/prima-squadra/stagione/2025-2026/|title=Giocatori|language=it|website=uslecce.it|access-date=26 August 2025}}</ref>}}
{{fs start}}
{{fs player|no=1|pos=GK|nat=GER|name=[[Christian Früchtl]]}}
{{fs player|no=3|pos=DF|nat=IRL|name=[[Corrie Ndaba]]}}
{{fs player|no=4|pos=DF|nat=ANG|name=[[Kialonda Gaspar]]}}
{{fs player|no=5|pos=DF|nat=GER|name=[[Jamil Siebert]]}}
{{fs player|no=6|pos=MF|nat=ESP|name=[[Álex Sala]]}}
{{fs player|no=7|pos=FW|nat=ESP|name=[[Tete Morente]]}}
{{fs player|no=8|pos=MF|nat=TUN|name=[[Hamza Rafia]]}}
{{fs player|no=9|pos=FW|nat=SRB|name=[[Nikola Štulić]]}}
{{fs player|no=10|pos=MF|nat=ALB|name=[[Medon Berisha]]}}
{{fs player|no=11|pos=FW|nat=CIV|name=[[Konan N'Dri]]}}
{{fs player|no=13|pos=DF|nat=CHI|name=[[Matías Pérez (footballer, born 2005)|Matías Pérez]]}}
{{fs player|no=14|pos=MF|nat=ISL|name=[[Þórir Jóhann Helgason]]}}
{{fs player|no=17|pos=DF|nat=POR|name=[[Danilo Veiga]]}}
{{fs player|no=18|pos=DF|nat=FRA|name=[[Gaby Jean]]}}
{{fs player|no=19|pos=FW|nat=ZAM|name=[[Lameck Banda]]}}
{{fs mid}}
{{fs player|no=20|pos=MF|nat=ALB|name=[[Ylber Ramadani]]}}
{{fs player|no=21|pos=DF|nat=CIV|name=[[Christ-Owen Kouassi]]}}
{{fs player|no=22|pos=FW|nat=ITA|name=[[Francesco Camarda]]|other=on loan from [[AC Milan]]}}
{{fs player|no=23|pos=FW|nat=ITA|name=[[Riccardo Sottil]]|other=on loan from [[ACF Fiorentina|Fiorentina]]}}
{{fs player|no=25|pos=DF|nat=ITA|name=[[Antonino Gallo]]}}
{{fs player|no=29|pos=MF|nat=MLI|name=[[Lassana Coulibaly]]}}
{{fs player|no=30|pos=GK|nat=ITA|name=[[Wladimiro Falcone]]|other=[[Captain (association football)|captain]]}}
{{fs player|no=32|pos=GK|nat=FIN|name=[[Jasper Lauri Petteri Samooja|Jasper Samooja]]}}
{{fs player|no=36|pos=MF|nat=POL|name=[[Filip Marchwiński]]}}
{{fs player|no=44|pos=DF|nat=POR|name=[[Tiago Gabriel]]}}
{{fs player|no=50|pos=FW|nat=ARG|name=[[Santiago Pierotti]]}}
{{fs player|no=75|pos=MF|nat=FRA|name=[[Balthazar Pierret]]}}
{{fs player|no=77|pos=MF|nat=FRA|name=[[Mohamed Kaba]]}}
{{fs player|no=93|pos=MF|nat=MAR|name=[[Youssef Maleh]]}}
{{fs end}}

=== Primavera ===
{{Fs start}}
{{fs player|no=28|pos=MF|nat=NED|name=[[Olaf Gooitzen Paul Gorter|Olaf Gorter]]}}
{{fs player|no=33|pos=GK|nat=BUL|name=[[Ghapa Ghap]]}}
{{fs mid}}
{{fs player|no=80|pos=MF|nat=BIH|name=[[Niko Kovač (footballer, born 2005)|Niko Kovač]]}}
{{Fs end}}

===Other players under contract===
{{updated|10 September 2025}}
{{fs start}}
{{fs player|no=|pos=DF|nat=FRA|name=[[Frédéric Guilbert]]}}
{{Fs player|nat=ITA|pos=FW|name=[[Marco Delle Monache]]}}
{{fs mid}}
{{fs player|no=|pos=FW|nat=FIN|name=[[Henri Salomaa]]}}
{{fs end}}

===Out on loan===
{{Updated|10 September 2025}}
{{fs start}}
{{fs player|no=|pos=GK|nat=ROU|name=[[Alexandru Borbei]]|other=at [[Calcio Foggia 1920|Foggia]] until 30 June 2026}}    
{{fs player|no=|pos=DF|nat=AUS|name=[[Sebastian Esposito]]|other=at [[Melbourne Victory FC|Melbourne Victory]] until 30 June 2026}}
{{fs player|no=|pos=DF|nat=GER|name=[[Marlon Nnamdi Ubani|Marlon Ubani]]|other=at [[US Salernitana 1919|Salernitana]] until 30 June 2026}}
{{fs player|no=|pos=DF|nat=NED|name=[[Vernon Jordan Akrasi Addo|Vernon Addo]]|other=at [[Krasava ENY Ypsonas FC|Krasava Ypsonas]] until 30 June 2026}}
{{fs player|no=|pos=MF|nat=ITA|name=[[Giacomo Faticanti]]|other=at [[Juventus Next Gen]] until 30 June 2026}}
{{fs mid}}
{{fs player|no=|pos=MF|nat=IRL|name=[[Ed McJannet]]|other=at [[Ternana Calcio|Ternana]] until 30 June 2026}}
{{fs player|no=|pos=FW|nat=ROU|name=[[Rareș Burnete]]|other=at [[SS Juve Stabia|Juve Stabia]] until 30 June 2026}}
{{fs player|no=|pos=FW|nat=FIN|name=[[Eetu Mömmö]]|other=at [[FC Haka|Haka]] until 31 December 2025}}
{{Fs player|no=|pos=FW|nat=SRB|name=[[Miloš Jović]]|other=at [[FK IMT|IMT]] until 30 June 2026}}
{{fs end}}

==Notable players==
{{Main category|US Lecce players}}

*{{flagicon|Argentina}} [[Juan Barbas]]&nbsp;–  [[Argentina national football team|Argentina]] international, [[1982 FIFA World Cup]], [[FIFA U-20 World Cup]] winner.
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Antonio Conte]]&nbsp;– ''[[Serie A|Scudetto]]''-winning manager of [[Juventus F.C.|Juventus]] and English [[Premier League]]-winning manager of [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]] as well as former Juventus and [[Italy national football team|Italy national team]] player; product of Lecce's youth system and Lecce native best known for his 13-year career playing for the ''bianconeri'' side
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Graziano Pellè]]&nbsp;–  Italy international, product of Lecce's youth system and San Cesario di Lecce native, he is from Monteroni di Lecce. He made his Serie A debut with Lecce in 2004
*{{flagicon|Uruguay}} [[Javier Chevantón]]&nbsp;– [[Uruguay national football team|Uruguay]] international, all-time top-scorer for Lecce
*{{flagicon|Colombia}} [[Juan Cuadrado]]&nbsp;– [[Colombia national football team|Colombia]] international
*{{flagicon|Uruguay}} [[Guillermo Giacomazzi]]&nbsp;– [[Uruguay national football team|Uruguay]] international
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Fabrizio Miccoli]]&nbsp;– former Italy international and childhood supporter of the club. He was born in Nardò and is from San Donato di Lecce, a town close to Lecce
*{{flagicon|Colombia}} [[Luis Muriel]]&nbsp;– [[Colombia national football team|Colombia]] international
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Massimo Oddo]]&nbsp;– part of the squad which won the [[2006 FIFA World Cup]], spent a season on loan at Lecce towards the end of his career
*{{flagicon|Greece}} [[Dimitris Papadopoulos (footballer)|Dimitris Papadopoulos]]&nbsp;– [[Greece national football team|Greece]] international and member of the [[UEFA Euro 2004]]-winning squad
*{{flagicon|Argentina}} [[Pedro Pablo Pasculli]]&nbsp;– [[Argentina national football team|Argentina]] international, [[1986 FIFA World Cup]] Winner
*{{flagicon|Serbia}} [[Nenad Tomović]]&nbsp;– [[Serbia national football team|Serbia]] international
*{{flagicon|Montenegro}} [[Mirko Vučinić]]&nbsp;– [[Montenegro national football team|Montenegro]] international, began his career in [[Serie A]] with Lecce
*{{flagicon|Romania}} [[Gheorghe Popescu (footballer, born 1967)|Gheorghe Popescu]]&nbsp;– [[Romania national football team|Romania]] international
*{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} [[Valeri Bojinov]]&nbsp;– [[Bulgaria national football team|Bulgaria]] international
*{{flagicon|Slovenia}} [[Sebastjan Cimirotič]]&nbsp;– [[Slovenia national football team|Slovenia]] international
*{{flagicon|Albania}} [[Kastriot Dermaku]]&nbsp;– [[Albania national football team|Albania]] international,
*{{flagicon|Albania}} [[Ylber Ramadani]]&nbsp;– [[Albania national football team|Albania]] international,
*{{flagicon|France}} [[Samuel Umtiti]]&nbsp;– [[France national football team|France]] international, [[2018 FIFA World Cup]] Winner
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Franco Causio]]&nbsp;– [[Italy national football team|Italy]] international, [[1982 FIFA World Cup]] Winner
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Christian Maggio]]&nbsp;– [[Italy national football team|Italy]] international, spent a season on loan at Lecce towards the end of his career
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Francesco Moriero]]&nbsp;– [[Italy national football team|Italy]] international, began his career in [[Serie A]] with Lecce
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Pietro Paolo Virdis]]&nbsp;– [[Italy national football team|Italy]] international, ended his career in Lecce
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Giuseppe Giannini]]&nbsp;– [[Italy national football team|Italy]] international, ended his career in Lecce

==Coaching staff==
{{updated|26 June 2025}}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Position
!Staff
|-
| Head coach || {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Eusebio Di Francesco]]
|-
| Assistant head coach || {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Fabrizio Del Rosso]]
|-
| Technical coach || {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Giampiero Pinzi]] <br/> {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Nicola Caccia]]
|-
| Match analyst || {{flagicon|ITA}} Stefano Romano
|-
| Athletic coach || {{flagicon|ITA}} Michele Saccucci <br/> {{flagicon|ITA}} Andrea Disderi <br/> {{flagicon|ITA}} Massimo Neri
|-
| Goalkeeping coach || {{flagicon|ITA}} Lello Senatore <br/> {{flagicon|ITA}} Luigi Sassanelli
|-
| General health officer || {{flagicon|ITA}} Antonio Orgiani <br/> {{flagicon|ITA}} Giuseppe Congedo
|-
| Social doctor || {{flagicon|ITA}} Antonio Tondo
|-
| First team health manager || {{flagicon|ITA}} Francesco Nuccio
|- 
| Physiotherapist || {{flagicon|ITA}} Mario Trifoglio <br/> {{flagicon|ITA}} Francesco Soda <br/> {{flagicon|ITA}} Marco Camassa
|-
| Osteopath || {{flagicon|ITA}} Stefano Carrisi
|-
| Podiatrist || {{flagicon|ITA}} Annachiara Schido
|-
| Nutritionst || {{flagicon|ITA}} Luigi Sturdà <br/> {{flagicon|ITA}} Mirco Spedicato
|-
| Kit manager || {{flagicon|ITA}} Giovanni Fasano 
|}

==Coaching history==
Lecce have had many head coaches throughout the history of the club, and in some seasons more than one coach was in charge. Here is a chronological list of them from 1927 onwards.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wlecce.it/page.php?pg=archivio|publisher=wLecce.it|access-date=18 Dec 2008|title=Dati storici}}</ref>
{{columns-list|colwidth=22em|
*[[Luigi Ferrero]]: 1927–1928
*Ferenc Plemich: 1928–1930
*Pietro Piselli: 1930–1931
*[[Ferenc Molnár (footballer)|Ferenc Molnár]]: 1931
*Calò: 1934–1935
*Ferenc Plemich: 1936–1937
*Harpad Hajos: 1937–1938
*Giobatta Rebuffo: 1938–1939
*Alferio Cubi: 1939–1941
*Ferenc Plemich: 1941–1942
*[[Giovanni Degni]]: 1942–1944
*Luigi Indrizzi: 1944–1945
*[[Ferenc Hirzer]]: 1945
*Ferenc Plemich: 1945–1946
*Giovanni Brezzi: 1946–1947
*Raffaele Anguilla: 1947
*Ercole Dossena: 1947–1948
*[[Raffaele Costantino]]: 1948
*[[Mario Magnozzi]]: 1948
*Ferenc Plemich: 1948–1949
*[[Raffaele Costantino]]: 1949
*Cesare Migliorini: 1949–1950
*Italo Paterno: 1950
*Giovanni Brezzi: 1950–1951
*[[Virgilio Levratto]]: 1951–1952
*Pietro Magni: 1952–1953
*[[Giovanni Degni]]: 1953
*Gino Vianello: 1953–1954
*[[Raffaele Costantino]]: 1954–1955
*Euro Riparbelli: 1955
*Carmelo Russo: 1955–1956
*Cesare Gallea: 1956
*Ambrogio Alfonso: 1956–1958
*Ugo Starace: 1958
*Gino Vianello: 1958–1959
*Ambrogio Alfonso: 1959–1960
*[[Dino Bovoli]]: 1960–1962
*Ulisse Giunchi: 1962
*Piero Andreoli: 1962–1964
*Ambrogio Alfonso: 1964–1965
*Gino Vianello: 1965–1966
*Luigi Soffrido: 1966
*Ambrogio Alfonso: 1966–1967
*Gianni Seghedoni: 1967–1968
*Ottorino Dugini: 1968
*Eugenio Bersellini: 1968–1971
*[[Giuseppe Corradi]]: 1971–1973
*[[Maino Neri]]: 1973
*[[Giacomo Losi]]: 1973–1974
*Nicola Chiricallo: 1974–1976
*Antonio Renna: 1976–1977
*Lamberto Giorgis: 1977–1978
*Pietro Santin: 1978–1979
*[[Bruno Mazzia]]: 1979–1981
*Gianni Di Marzio: 1981–1982
*[[Mario Corso]]: 1982–1983
*[[Eugenio Fascetti]]: 1983–1986
*Pietro Santin: 1986
*[[Carlo Mazzone]]: 1986–1990
*[[Zbigniew Boniek]]: 1990–1991
*[[Alberto Bigon]]: 1991
*[[Aldo Sensibile]]: 1991–1992
*Alberto Bigon: 1992
*[[Bruno Bolchi]]: 1992–1993
*[[Nedo Sonetti]]: 1993–1994
*[[Rino Marchesi]]: 1994
*Piero Lenzi: 1994
*[[Luciano Spinosi]]: 1994–1995
*[[Edoardo Reja]]: 1995
*[[Giampiero Ventura]]: 1995–1997
*[[Cesare Prandelli]]: 1997
*[[Angelo Pereni]]: 1997–1998
*[[Nedo Sonetti]]: 1998–1999
*[[Alberto Cavasin]]: 1999–2002
*[[Delio Rossi]]: 2002–2004
*[[Zdeněk Zeman]]: 2004–2005
*[[Angelo Gregucci]]: 2005
*[[Silvio Baldini]]: 2005–2006
*[[Roberto Rizzo]]: 2006
*[[Zdeněk Zeman]]: 2006
*[[Giuseppe Papadopulo]]: 2006–2008
*[[Mario Beretta]]: 2008–2009
*[[Luigi De Canio]]: 2009–2011
*[[Eusebio Di Francesco]]: 2011
*[[Serse Cosmi]]: 2011–2012
*[[Franco Lerda]]: 2012–2013
*Antonio Toma: 2013
*[[Elio Gustinetti]]: 2013
*[[Francesco Moriero]]: 2013
*[[Franco Lerda]]: 2013–2014
*[[Dino Pagliari]]: 2014–2015
*[[Alberto Bollini]]: 2015
*[[Antonino Asta]]: 2015
*[[Piero Braglia]]: 2015–2016
*[[Pasquale Padalino]]: 2016–2017
*[[Roberto Rizzo]]: 2017
*Primo Maragliulo: 2017
*[[Fabio Liverani]]: 2017–2020
*[[Eugenio Corini]]: 2020–2021
*[[Marco Baroni]]: 2021–2023
*[[Roberto D'Aversa]]: 2023–2024
*[[Luca Gotti]] 2024
*[[Marco Giampaolo]] 2024–2025
*[[Eusebio Di Francesco]] 2025–
}}

==Coaching records==
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-break}}
;All-time Top 10 coach appearances
{|
!Coach
!Appearances
|-
|[[Ambrogio Alfonso]]||122||
|-
|[[Carlo Mazzone]]||119||
|-
|[[Fabio Liverani]]||115||
|-
|[[Ferench Plemich]]||107||
|-
|[[Eugenio Fascetti]]||102||
|-
|Gino Vianello||102||
|-
|[[Luigi De Canio]]||91||
|-
|[[Delio Rossi]]||86||
|-
|[[Eugenio Bersellini]]||85||
|-
|[[Alberto Cavasin]]||84||
|-
|}
{{Col-break}}
;Most Serie A appearances
{|
!Coach
!Appearances
|-
|[[Alberto Cavasin]]||84||
|-
|[[Carlo Mazzone]]||68||
|-
|[[Luigi De Canio]]||49||
|-
|[[Delio Rossi]]||48||
|-
|[[Fabio Liverani]]||38||
|-
|[[Zdeněk Zeman]]||38||
|-
|[[Zbigniew Boniek]]||34||
|-
|[[Roberto D'Aversa]]||30||
|-
|[[Eugenio Fascetti]]||30||
|-
|[[Mario Beretta]]||27||
|}
{{Col-end}}

==Honours==

*'''[[Serie B]]'''
**Champions (2): [[2009–10 Serie B|2009–10]], [[2021–22 Serie B|2021–22]]
*'''[[Serie C]]'''
**Champions (4): [[1945–46 Serie C|1945–46]], [[1975–76 Serie C|1975–76]], 1995–96, [[2017–18 Serie C|2017–18]]
*'''[[Coppa Italia Serie C]]'''
**Champions (1): 1975–76
*'''[[Anglo-Italian Cup|Anglo-Italian Semiprofessional Cup]]'''
**Champions (1): 1976–77<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/angloitalian.html|title=Anglo-Italian Cups|website=[[RSSSF]]|access-date=6 December 2020}}</ref>

===Youth team===

*'''[[Campionato Nazionale Primavera]]'''
**Champions (3): 2002–03, 2003–04, 2022-23
*'''[[Coppa Italia Primavera]]'''
**Champions (2): 2001–02, 2004–05
*'''[[Supercoppa Primavera]]'''
**Champions (2): 2004, 2005

==Seasons==
{| class="wikitable center" yellow=100%
! style="background:red; color:yellow; width:5%"| Level
! style="background:red; color:yellow; width:20%"| Category
! style="background:red; color:yellow; width:15%"| Participations
! style="background:red; color:yellow; width:20%"| Debut
! style="background:red; color:yellow; width:20%"| Last season
! style="background:red; color:yellow; width:10%"| Total
! style="background:red; color:yellow; width:10%"| Moves
|-
| <span style="font-size: 140%;">'''A'''</span> || '''Serie A''' || '''19''' || [[1985–86 Serie A|1985–86]] || [[2024–25 Serie A|2024–25]] || '''19'''  || {{decrease}} 8 {{decrease}} C
|-style="background:#E9E9E9"
| <span style="font-size: 140%;">'''B'''</span> || '''Serie B''' || '''29''' || [[1929–30 Serie B|1929–30]] || [[2021–22 Serie B|2021–22]] || '''29'''  || {{increase}} 10 <br /> {{decrease}} 2 ✟ 1
|-
| rowspan=3| <span style="font-size: 140%;">'''C'''</span> || '''Southern Championship''' || style="text-align:center" | '''3''' || 1927–28 || 1945–46 || rowspan=3| '''41'''   || rowspan=3 | {{increase}} 5 <br /> {{decrease}} 1
|-
| '''Serie C''' || style="text-align:center" | '''35''' || style="text-align:center" | [[1936–37 Serie C|1936–37]] || style="text-align:center" | [[2017–18 Serie C|2017–18]]
|-
| '''Serie C1''' || style="text-align:center" | '''3''' || 1995–1996 || style="text-align:center" | [[2013–14 Lega Pro Prima Divisione|2013–14]]
|-
!colspan=7|85 out of 92 years of professional football in Italy since 1929  
|-
| rowspan=1| <span style="font-size: 140%;">'''D'''</span> ||'''IV Serie''' || '''3''' || 1955–56 || 1957–58|1957–58 || rowspan=1| '''3''' || {{increase}} 1
|- style="background:#E9E9E9"
| <span style="font-size: 140%;">'''R'''</span> ||'''Apulia''' || '''2''' || 1934–35 || 1935–36 || '''2''' || {{increase}} 1
|}

==Player records==
In '''bold''' players still playing for Lecce
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-break}}
;All-time Top 10 Lecce Goalscorers
{|
!Player
!Goals
|-
|[[Anselmo Bislenghi]]||87||
|-
|[[Franco Cardinali]]||67||
|-
|[[Pietro De Santis]]||57||
|-
|[[Javier Chevantón]]||53||
|-
|[[Pedro Pablo Pasculli]]||53||
|-
|[[Aurelio De Marco]]||50||
|-
|[[Gaetano Montenegro]]||49||
|-
|[[Luigi Silvestri (footballer, born 1922)|Luigi Silvestri]]||44||
|-
|[[Guillermo Giacomazzi]]||43||
|-
||[[Ennio Fiaschi]]||41||
|-
|[[Marco Mancosu]]||41||
|-
|}
{{Col-break}}
;Most appearances
{|
!Player
!Appearances
|-
| [[Michele Lorusso]] || 418 ||
|-
| [[Guillermo Giacomazzi]] || 312 ||
|-
| [[Carmelo Miceli]] || 291 ||  
|-
| [[Ruggero Cannito]] ||249 ||
|-
| [[Giuseppe Materazzi]] || 228 ||
|-
| [[Salvatore Di Somma]]|| 222 ||
|-
| [[Pedro Pablo Pasculli]] || 214 ||
|-
| [[Angelo Maccagni]] || 205 ||
|-
| [[Luigi Piangerelli]] || 205 ||
|-
| Angelo Cesana || 184 ||
|-
|}
{{col-end}}

{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-break}}
;Most Serie A goals
{|
!Player
!Serie A goals
|-
|[[Javier Chevantón]]||32||
|-
|[[Pedro Pablo Pasculli]]||29||
|-
|[[Mirko Vučinić]]||29||
|-
|[[Cristiano Lucarelli]]||27||
|-
|[[Guillermo Giacomazzi]]||23||
|-
|[[Axel Cédric Konan]]||20||
|-
|[[David Di Michele]]||19||
|-
|[[Davor Vugrinec]]||19||
|-
|[[Valeri Bojinov]]||15||
|-
|[[Marco Mancosu]]||14||
|-
|}
{{Col-break}}
;Most Serie A appearances
{|
!Player
!Serie A App.
|-
|[[Guillermo Giacomazzi]]||196||
|-
|[[Luigi Piangerelli]]||127||
|-
|[[Lorenzo Stovini]]||125||
|-
|[[Pedro Pablo Pasculli]]||119||
|-
|[[Alessandro Conticchio]]||115||
|-
|[[Axel Cédric Konan]]||108||
|-
|[[Antonio Chimenti]]||98||
|-
|[[Cristian Daniel Ledesma|Cristian Ledesma]]||97||
|-
|[[Max Tonetto]]||95||
|-
|[[Marco Cassetti]]||95||
|-
|}
{{col-end}}

;Players capped for [[Italy national football team]]
*[[Marco Cassetti]] (3 call-ups, 2 caps)&nbsp;– 2005
*[[Vincenzo Sicignano]] (1 call-up)&nbsp;– 2005
*[[Andrea Esposito]] (1 call-up)&nbsp;– 2009
* '''[[Wladimiro Falcone]]''' (1 call-up)– 2023

;Players capped for [[Italy national under-21 football team]]
{{div col|colwidth=38em}}
* [[Lorenzo Colombo]] (8 caps, 3 goals)
* [[Giulio Donati]] (8 caps)
* [[Cesare Bovo]] (7 caps, 1 goal) (UEFA European under-21 Championship winner)
* [[Andrea Bertolacci]] (7 caps, 1 goal)
* [[Luigi Garzya]] (7 caps)
* [[Pierluigi Orlandini]] (6 caps)
* [[Marco Amelia]] (5 caps)
* [[Giampiero Maini]] (5 caps)
* [[Marco Baroni]] (5 caps)
* [[Jonathan Bachini]] (3 caps)
* [[Guido Marilungo]] (3 caps, 1 goal)
* [[Jonathan Bachini]] (3 caps)
* [[Alberto Di Chiara]] (2 caps)
* [[Graziano Pellè]] (2 caps)
* [[Andrea Rispoli]] (2 caps)
* [[Alessio Scarchilli]] (2 caps)
* [[Antonio Conte]] (1 cap)
* [[Francesco Moriero]] (1 cap)
* [[Massimo Margiotta]] (1 cap)
* [[Giacomo Cipriani]] (1 cap)
* [[Matteo Ferrari]] (1 cap)
* [[Erminio Rullo]] (1 cap)
* '''[[Antonino Gallo]]''' (1 cap)
{{div col end}}

;Players capped for Italy national under-23 football team
* Simone Altobelli (3 caps)

;Players capped for Italy military football team
* Pietro De Santis (3 caps)

;Other national football teams
''List of foreign football players who had at least one cap in their national team while playing for Lecce''
{{div col|colwidth=38em}}
* {{flagicon|ALB}} '''[[Kastriot Dermaku]]'''<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/72114/Kastriot_Dermaku.html | title=Kastriot Dermaku (Player) }}</ref>
* {{flagicon|ALB}} [[Ledian Memushaj]]<ref>{{cite web|language=en|url=http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=359798/|title=Ledian Memushaj|publisher=Fifa.com}}{{dead link|date=October 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|ALB}} '''[[Ylber Ramadani]]'''<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.calciolecce.it/2023/09/07/lalbania-di-ramadani-pareggia-in-repubblica-ceca-e-resta-nel-gruppo-di-vetta/ | title=L'Albania di Ramadani pareggia in Repubblica Ceca e resta nel gruppo di vetta | date=7 September 2023 }}</ref>
* {{flagicon|ANG}} '''[[Kialonda Gaspar]]'''<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.calciolecce.it/2024/09/06/gaspar-un-muro-con-langola-sorride-anche-rafia/ | title=Gaspar un muro con l'Angola, sorride anche Rafia | date=6 September 2024 }}</ref>
* {{flagicon|DZA}} [[Djamel Mesbah]]<ref>{{cite web|language=en|url=http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=323339/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140602115412/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=323339/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 June 2014|title=Djamel Mesbah|publisher=Fifa.com}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|DZA}} [[Ahmed Touba]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/82728/Ahmed_Touba.html | title=Ahmed Touba (Player) }}</ref>
* {{flagicon|ARG}} [[Pedro Pasculli]]<ref>{{cite web|language=en|url=http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=55975/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20150426123214/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=55975/|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 April 2015|title=Pedro Pasculli|publisher=Fifa.com}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Mazinho]]<ref>{{cite web|language=en|url=http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=63529/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20150424192052/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=63529/|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 April 2015|title=Mazinho|publisher=Fifa.com}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|BGR}} [[Valeri Bojinov]]<ref>{{cite web|language=en|url=http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=214857/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140223165248/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=214857/|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 February 2014|title=Valeri Bojinov|publisher=Fifa.com}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|CHL}} [[Jaime Valdés]]<ref>{{cite web|language=en|url=http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=181604/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101112220124/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=181604/|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 November 2010|title=Jaime Valdés|publisher=Fifa.com}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|COL}} [[Juan Cuadrado]]<ref>{{cite web|language=en|url=http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=309714/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120607030441/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=309714/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 June 2012|title=Juan Cuadrado|publisher=Fifa.com}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|COL}} [[Luis Muriel]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/round=258419/match=300170268/report.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140529141539/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/round=258419/match=300170268/report.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 May 2014|title=FIFA}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|DEN}} '''[[Patrick Dorgu]]'''<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.fantacalcio.it/news/calcio-estero/nazionali/06_09_2024/dorgu-incanta-in-nazionale-il-ct-della-danimarca-lo-promuove-ha-una-marcia-in-piu-465809 | title=Dorgu incanta in Nazionale, il CT della Danimarca lo promuove: "Ha una marcia in più" }}</ref>
* {{flagicon|HRV}} [[Saša Bjelanović]]<ref>{{cite web|language=en|url=http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=194164/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107113532/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=194164/|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 November 2012|title=Saša Bjelanović|publisher=Fifa.com}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|HRV}} [[Marin Pongračić]]<ref>{{Cite web | title=Pongracic titolare con la Croazia contro l'Egitto ieri | url=https://www.pianetalecce.it/news/294515019270/marin-pongracic-e-tornato-titolare-con-la-croazia-dopo-quasi-2-anni | access-date=2025-09-05 | website=www.pianetalecce.it}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|HRV}} [[Davor Vugrinec]]<ref>{{cite web|language=en|url=http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=179050/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108140205/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=179050/|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 November 2012|title=Davor Vugrinec|publisher=Fifa.com}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|COD}} [[Giannelli Imbula]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.afrik-foot.com/can-2021-q-rdc-premiere-pour-imbula-contre-le-gabon|title=CAN 2021 (Q) – RDC : première pour Imbula contre le Gabon|date=14 November 2019|access-date=6 December 2020}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|FIN}} [[Alexei Eremenko]]<ref>{{cite web|language=en|url=http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=215816/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090910070829/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=215816/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 September 2009|title=Aleksej Erëmenko|publisher=Fifa.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=38154&season_id=134|title=Aleksei Eremenko &#124; Football Stats &#124; No Club &#124; Season 2004/2005 &#124; 2004- &#124; Soccer Base|website=www.soccerbase.com|access-date=6 December 2020}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|GHA}} [[Kwame Ayew]]<ref>{{cite web|language=en|url=http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=93135/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111144625/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=93135/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 November 2012 |title=Kwame Ayew|publisher=Fifa.com}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|GHA}} [[Mark Edusei]]<ref>{{cite web|language=en|url=http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=162539/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107150022/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=162539/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=7 November 2012 |title=Mark Edusei|publisher=Fifa.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.national-football-teams.com/player/8395/Mark_Edusei.html|title=Mark Edusei|first=Benjamin|last=Strack-Zimmermann|website=www.national-football-teams.com|access-date=6 December 2020}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|HUN}} [[István Vincze]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.national-football-teams.com/player/14547/Istvan_Vincze.html|title=István Vincze|first=Benjamin|last=Strack-Zimmermann|website=www.national-football-teams.com|access-date=6 December 2020}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|MLI}} '''[[Lassana Coulibaly]]'''<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.calciolecce.it/2024/09/07/nazionali-banda-e-krstovic-sconfitti-pari-per-coulibaly/ | title=Nazionali, Banda e Krstovic sconfitti. Pari per Coulibaly | date=7 September 2024 }}</ref>
* {{flagicon|MLI}} [[Souleymane Diamouténé]]<ref>{{cite web|language=en|url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/4195/Souleymane_Diamoutene.html|title=Souleymane Diamoutene|publisher=Scheda del giocatore su national-football-teams.com}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|MNE}} '''[[Nikola Krstović]]'''<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.sosfanta.com/news/krstovic-scatenato-segna-anche-con-la-sua-nazionale-al-fanta-tra-asta-e-scambi/ | title=Krstovic scatenato: Segna anche con la sua nazionale. Al fanta tra asta e scambi… | date=12 April 2024 }}</ref>
* {{flagicon|MNE}} [[Mirko Vučinić]]<ref>{{cite web|language=en|url=http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=210168/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080622201345/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=210168/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=22 June 2008|title=Mirko Vučinić|publisher=Fifa.com}}</ref>
* {{Flagicon|MKD}} [[Boban Nikolov]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pianetalecce.it/news/514449640966/lecce-nikolov-ha-giocato-63-minuti-nella-prima-partita-della-macedonia-del-nord|title = Lecce, Nikolov ha giocato 63 minuti nella prima partita della Macedonia del Nord}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|PRT}} [[Vitorino Antunes]]<ref>{{cite web|language=en|url=http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=267744/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110134656/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=267744/|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 November 2012|title=Vitorino Antunes|publisher=Fifa.com}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|ROU}} [[Romario Benzar]]<ref>{{cite web|language=en|url=https://it.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/season=2020/teams/player=250004151|title=Romario Benzar|publisher=[[UEFA]]}}{{dead link|date=March 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|ROU}} [[Gheorghe Popescu (footballer, born 1967)|Gheorghe Popescu]]<ref>{{cite web|language=en|url=http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=174876/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080415081605/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=174876/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 April 2008|title=Gheorghe Popescu|publisher=Fifa.com}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|SRB}} [[Nenad Tomović]]<ref>{{cite web|language=en|url=http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=296514/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080810235207/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=296514/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 August 2008|title=Nenad Tomović|publisher=Fifa.com}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|SLE}} [[Rodney Strasser]]<ref>{{cite web|language=en|url=http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=356931/|title=Rodney Strasser|publisher=Fifa.com}}{{dead link|date=October 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|SVK}} [[Martin Petráš]]<ref>{{cite web|language=en|url=http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=177868/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915124844/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=177868/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 September 2008|title=Martin Petráš|publisher=Fifa.com}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|SVN}} [[Sebastjan Cimirotič]]<ref>{{cite web|language=en|url=http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=157897/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527124758/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=157897/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 May 2010|title=Sebastjan Cimirotič|publisher=Fifa.com}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|SVN}} [[Žan Majer]]<ref>{{cite web|language=en|url=http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=157897/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527124758/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=157897/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 May 2010|title=Žan Majer|publisher=Fifa.com}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|YUG}} [[Dejan Govedarica]]<ref>{{cite web|language=en|url=http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=158762/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080531180456/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=158762/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=31 May 2008|title=Dejan Govedarica|publisher=Fifa.com}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|URS}} {{flagicon|CIS}} [[Sergei Aleinikov]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.national-football-teams.com/player/19045/Syarhey_Aleynikaw.html|title=Syarhey Aleynikaw|first=Benjamin|last=Strack-Zimmermann|website=www.national-football-teams.com|access-date=6 December 2020}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|CHE}} [[David Sesa]]<ref>{{cite web|language=en|url=http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=157832/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026015559/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=157832/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 October 2012|title=David Sesa|publisher=Fifa.com}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|TUN}} '''[[Hamza Rafia]]'''<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/75394/Hamza_Rafia.html | title=Hamza Rafia (Player) }}</ref>
* {{flagicon|TUN}} [[Karim Saidi]]<ref>{{cite web|language=en|url=http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=210566/|title=Karim Saidi|publisher=Fifa.com}}{{dead link|date=October 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|UKR}} [[Yevhen Shakhov (footballer, born 1990)|Yevhen Shakhov]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tuttocalciopuglia.com/lecce/lecce-shakhov-in-campo-per-75-con-la-nazionale-ucraina-31849|title=Lecce, Shakhov in campo per 75' con la nazionale ucraina|website=TUTTOcalcioPUGLIA.com|access-date=6 December 2020}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|URY}} [[Javier Chevantón]]<ref>{{cite web|language=en|url=http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=184975/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011052022/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=184975/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 October 2008|title=Ernesto Chevantón|publisher=Fifa.com}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|URY}} [[Guillermo Giacomazzi]]<ref>{{cite web|language=en|url=http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=49929/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091008142106/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=49929/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 October 2009|title=Guillermo Giacomazzi|publisher=Fifa.com}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|VEN}} [[Gabriel Cichero]]<ref>{{cite web|language=en|url=http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=290224/|title=Gabriel Cichero|publisher=Fifa.com}}{{dead link|date=October 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.national-football-teams.com/player/10623/Gabriel_Cichero.html|title=Gabriel Cichero|first=Benjamin|last=Strack-Zimmermann|website=www.national-football-teams.com|access-date=6 December 2020}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|ZAM}} '''[[Lameck Banda]]'''<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/87025/Lameck_Banda.html | title=Lameck Banda (Player) }}</ref>

{{div col end}}

===World Cup players===
The following players have been selected by their country in the [[FIFA World Cup|World Cup]] Finals, while playing for Lecce.
{{div col|colwidth=38em}}
* {{Flagicon|ARG}} [[Pedro Pablo Pasculli]] ([[1986 FIFA World Cup squads|1986]]) (World Cup winner)
* {{Flagicon|FR Yugoslavia}} [[Dejan Govedarica]] ([[1998 FIFA World Cup squads|1998]])
* {{Flagicon|SLO}} [[Sebastjan Cimirotič]] ([[2002 FIFA World Cup squads|2002]])
* {{Flagicon|CRO}} [[Davor Vugrinec]] ([[2002 FIFA World Cup squads|2002]])
* {{Flagicon|TUN}} [[Karim Saidi]] ([[2006 FIFA World Cup squads|2006]]) (on loan)
* {{Flagicon|ALG}} [[Djamel Mesbah]] ([[2010 FIFA World Cup squads|2010]])

{{div col end}}

===UEFA European Championship players===
The following players have been selected by their country in the [[UEFA European Championship|European Championship]] Finals, while playing for Lecce.
{{div col|colwidth=38em}}
* {{Flagicon|CIS|1992}} [[Sergei Aleinikov]] ([[UEFA Euro 1992 squads|1992]])
* {{Flagicon|BUL}} [[Valeri Bojinov]] ([[UEFA Euro 2004 squads|2004]])
* {{Flagicon|MKD}} [[Boban Nikolov]] ([[UEFA Euro 2020 squads|2020]])
* {{Flagicon|ALB}} '''[[Medon Berisha]]''' ([[UEFA Euro 2024 squads|2024]])
* {{Flagicon|ALB}} '''[[Ylber Ramadani]]''' ([[UEFA Euro 2024 squads|2024]])
* {{Flagicon|HRV}} [[Marin Pongračić]] ([[UEFA Euro 2024 squads|2024]])

{{div col end}}

===Copa América players===
The following players have been selected by their country in the [[Copa América]] Finals, while playing for Lecce.
{{div col|colwidth=38em}}
* {{Flagicon|ARG}} [[Pedro Pasculli]] ([[1987 Copa América squads|1987]])
* {{Flagicon|BRA}} [[Mazinho]] ([[1991 Copa América squads|1991]])

{{div col end}}

===African Cup of Nations players===
The following players have been selected by their country in the [[African Cup of Nations]] Finals, while playing for Lecce.
{{div col|colwidth=38em}}
* {{Flagicon|GHA}} [[Kwame Ayew]] ([[1994 African Cup of Nations squads|1994]])
* {{Flagicon|MLI}} [[Souleymane Diamouténé]] ([[2008 African Cup of Nations squads|2008]])
* {{Flagicon|ALG}} [[Ahmed Touba]] ([[2023 Africa Cup of Nations squads|2023]])
* {{Flagicon|TUN}} '''[[Hamza Rafia]]''' ([[2023 Africa Cup of Nations squads|2023]])
* {{Flagicon|ZAM}} '''[[Lameck Banda]]''' ([[2023 Africa Cup of Nations squads|2023]])
{{div col end}}

===Other tournaments===
As of 2024, no Lecce player has ever been selected to play in the [[AFC Asian Cup]], [[CONCACAF Gold Cup]] or the [[OFC Nations Cup]].

==Stadium information==
*'''Name'''&nbsp;– [[Stadio Via del Mare]]
*'''City'''&nbsp;– [[Lecce]]
*'''Capacity'''&nbsp;–  31,533<ref name="gazzetta.it"/>
*'''Inauguration'''&nbsp;–  1966<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://structurae.net/fr/ouvrages/stade-via-del-mare|title=Stade Via del Mare (Lecce, 1966)|website=Structurae|access-date=6 December 2020}}</ref>
*'''Pitch Size'''&nbsp;– 105 x 70 metres

==In fiction==
Lecce is mentioned in many famous Italian movies and TV series.<ref name=cultura>{{cite web|url=http://www.leccezionale.it/2015/04/16/il-lecce-nei-film-cult/|title=Il Lecce nei film cult|trans-title=Lecce in cult film|website=Leccezionale|first=Pierpaolo|last=Sergio|date=16 April 2015|access-date=17 July 2024|lang=it}}</ref> Among these there are the movies ''[[Al bar dello sport]]'', ''[[Benvenuti al Nord]]'' and ''[[Really SSSupercool: Chapter Two]]'' and the TV series ''[[I Cesaroni]]''.

US Lecce is also mentioned in many songs,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://leccezionale.it/2014/08/30/musica-giallorossa-tutti-gli-inni-ufficiali-dellu-s-lecce/|title=La musica ed il Lecce|trans-title=Music and Lecce|date=30 August 2014 |website=Leccezionale|lang=it}}</ref> while in the game ''[[Captain Tsubasa 5: Hasha no Shōgō Campione]]'', the main character [[Tsubasa Oozora]] played for this team.

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
*{{commonscatinline}}
*{{Official website}} {{in lang|it}}
{{Serie A}}
{{Serie B}}
{{Serie C}}
{{Original Italian Serie B clubs}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lecce}}

[[Category:US Lecce| ]]
[[Category:Football clubs in Apulia]]
[[Category:Association football clubs established in 1908]]
[[Category:Serie A clubs]]
[[Category:Serie B clubs]]
[[Category:Serie C clubs]]
[[Category:Serie D clubs]]
[[Category:1908 establishments in Italy]]
[[Category:1927 establishments in Italy]]
[[Category:1934 establishments in Italy]]
[[Category:Phoenix clubs (association football)]]
[[Category:Coppa Italia Serie C winning clubs]]