Nicolò

Career Story

It all began on an island, his island. And it all began with a deep passion for football. Nicolò Barella was born in Cagliari on 7 February 1997 and it didn’t take him long to discover his lifelong dedication to the game. His goal was set from a young age when he would go and watch matches with his father and take in every movement and all off the infinite energy. Since his first steps onto the pitch, he’s always gone at 100 miles per hour. Sestu is the town where it all began and to which he is still very attached, even to this day. His education at the “Gigi Riva” Football School and further development with Cagliari’s youth teams led to his Serie A debut with the Rossoblù; he career took shape step by step, driven by incredible determination, innate talent and constant hard work.

It was in Como, close to Milano, that the midfielder got his first experience away from Sardinia. It was an educational time both as a footballer and as a person. He subsequently returned to Cagliari and the exploits that led him to join Inter in 2019. The choice was taken without any shadow of a doubt; it was a big project, in which Barella was ready to partake. The Black and Blue had long featured in his games with family, and are the colours that he now hoists high alongside his teammates. His father gave him two shirts: one with Ronaldo on the back and the other with Recoba. And then came the Azzurri. A key member of the Italy national team, Barella starred in the Azzurri’s European Championship win in 2021, which culminated in the victory over England at Wembley, scoring in the quarters against Belgium. He was won 45 caps and scored eight goals for his country.

He was voted the best midfielder in Serie A in 2020/21 and 2022/23. While at Inter, he has won one Scudetto, two Coppa Italia titles and two Supercoppa titles.