.jpg) Barella withItaly in 2021 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Nicolò Barella[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1997-02-07)7 February 1997 (age 28)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Cagliari, Italy | ||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[3] | ||
| Position | Central midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Inter Milan | ||
| Number | 23 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2006–2015 | Cagliari | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2015–2020 | Cagliari | 105 | (7) |
| 2016 | →Como (loan) | 16 | (0) |
| 2019–2020 | →Inter Milan (loan) | 27 | (1) |
| 2020– | Inter Milan | 189 | (18) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2012 | Italy U15 | 5 | (0) |
| 2012–2013 | Italy U16 | 4 | (0) |
| 2013–2014 | Italy U17 | 5 | (0) |
| 2014–2015 | Italy U18 | 8 | (0) |
| 2015–2016 | Italy U19 | 16 | (0) |
| 2016–2017 | Italy U20 | 8 | (0) |
| 2017–2019 | Italy U21 | 10 | (1) |
| 2018– | Italy | 68 | (10) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 23 November 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 16 November 2025 | |||
Nicolò BarellaCavaliere OMRI (Italian pronunciation:[nikoˈlɔbbaˈrɛlla]; born 7 February 1997) is an Italian professionalfootballer who plays as acentral midfielder forSerie A clubInter Milan and theItaly national team.[4] Known for his technical ability, work rate, and creativity, he is often recognised as one of the best midfielders in the world.[5][6][7][8]
Born inCagliari, Barella is a youth exponent fromCagliari Calcio.[9][10] He made his first appearance on 15 January 2015, playing againstParma at theTardini in theCoppa Italia, which resulted in a 2–1 loss.[10] His debut inSerie A came on 4 May 2015 again against Parma, replacingDiego Farias after 68 minutes in a 4–0 home win.[11][10]
In January 2016, he was sent on loan toComo inSerie B, where he played as a first-choice for the second part of the season.[12][13]
On 17 September 2017, after having returned to Cagliari, he scored his first professional and Serie A goal againstSPAL in a 2–0 home win.[14] Three months later, he became the youngest captain ever in the history of Cagliari, at the age of 20 years, 10 months, and 9 days.[10][15]
On 24 February 2019, in the match againstSampdoria, which was lost 1–0, he reached 100 appearances with the Cagliari jersey at the age of 22.[16] At the end of the season, Barella is the player with the highest number of balls recovered (253) in the2018–19 Serie A,[9] also winning thePremio Bulgarelli Number 8 for the best midfielder of the season and being included for the first time in theSerie A Team of the Year.[17][18]
On 12 July 2019, Barella joinedInter Milan on a year-long loan deal with an obligation to buy with a four-year contract to take effect after the loan period.[19] He made his club debut on 26 August againstLecce; he came off the bench in the second half forMatías Vecino, and later helped set-upAntonio Candreva's goal in an eventual 4–0 home win in Inter's opening match of the2019–20 Serie A season.[20] He made hisChampions League debut on 17 September againstSlavia Prague; after coming off the bench forMarcelo Brozović in the second half, he scored an injury-time equalising goal to help Inter to a 1–1 home draw, which was his first goal both in the competition and for Inter.[21] On 9 November, he scored his first league goal for the club as Inter came from behind to achieve a 2–1 home win overVerona.[22] He scored his first goal in theCoppa Italia on 29 January 2020, in 2–1 home win overFiorentina, in the quarter-finals of the tournament.[23] With the team, he reached the2020 UEFA Europa League final, where they lost toSevilla.[4] At the end of the season, he was included in theSerie A Team of the Year and theUEFA Europa League Squad of the season.[24][25]
On 17 January 2021, Barella assisted for the first goal forArturo Vidal and scored a vital second in a 2–0 home win againstrivals and defending championsJuventus in Serie A.[26] At the end of the2020–21 Serie A season, he won theScudetto and was electedBest Midfielder byLega Serie A as well as included (for the third edition in a row) in the2020–21 Serie A Team of the Year.[27][28]
On 5 November 2021, Barella signed a contract extension with Inter, keeping him at the club until 2026.[29] At the end of the 2021–22 season, after having won theCoppa Italia and theSupercoppa Italiana,[30][31] Barella (and his teammateHakan Çalhanoğlu) totalled 12 assists, which is the highest number for an Inter player sinceOpta Sports started collecting such data in 2004–05.[32] At the end of the season, he was included in the2021–22 Serie A Team of the Year for the fourth year in a row.[33]
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In the 2022–23 season, Barella won theCoppa Italia andSupercoppa Italiana with Inter again.[34][35] In theCoppa Italia final, he assistedLautaro Martinez for the secondNerazzurri's goal.[34] He was awarded theBest Midfielder title again byLega Serie A and included in theSerie A Team of the Year for the fifth year in a row.[36][37] In theChampions League, Barella reached thefinal with Inter, which was the first time the club had reached the final in 13 years.[38] He received the Player of the Match award during the tournament for his outstanding performance in the 3-3 draw againstBarcelona in the group stage, in which he scored the opening goal.[39]
During the Inter-Roma match on 29 October 2023, he made his 200th appearance for Inter.[40] On 22 April 2024, he won theSerie A title for the second time in his career,[41] and was included in theSerie A Team of the Year for a record six times in a row.[42] On 11 June 2024, he extended his contract with the club until 2029.[43]
On 30 August 2024, he scored his first goal of the2024–25 season with a spectacular volley in a 4-0 home win against Atalanta.[44] In the2024–25 UEFA Champions League, he was assigned the official Player of the Match award twice, againstManchester City in Matchday 1 andYoung Boys in Matchday 3.[45] He reached thefinal again (the second in three year), where Inter suffered the heaviest defeat in the history of the competition's finals, losing 5–0 toPSG.[46]
After the Champions League final, Barella made his debut with Inter in the new-formatFIFA Club World Cup,[47] assistingLautaro Martínez from a corner in the second match, a 2–1 win againstUrawa Red Diamonds.[48] Inter, however, were eliminated byFluminense in the round of 16.[49]
On 25 October 2025, Barella made his 300th appearance for Inter in all competitions.[50]
Barella was part of theItaly national under-21 football team in the2019 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.[51]
Barella was called up to the seniorItalian senior squad by coachGian Piero Ventura for the team's2018 World Cup qualification againstMacedonia andAlbania in October 2017.[52] On 10 October 2018, he made his debut under coachRoberto Mancini in a 1–1 friendly draw againstUkraine inGenoa.[53] On 23 March 2019, Barella scored his first goal for Italy in a 2–0 home victory againstFinland in aUEFA Euro 2020 qualifying match.[54]
In June 2021, Barella was included in Italy's squad forUEFA Euro 2020.[55] In Italy's second group match on 16 June, he set upManuel Locatelli second goal in an eventual 3–0 victory againstSwitzerland, which allowed Italy to advance to the round of 16.[56] On 2 July, he scored Italy's opening goal of the match, and later assistedLorenzo Insigne's goal, in a 2–1 victory againstBelgium in the quarter-finals of the competition.[57] On 11 July, Barella won the European Championship with Italy following a 3–2penalty shoot-out victory againstEngland atWembley Stadium in thefinal, after a 1–1 draw inextra-time; Barella started the match, but was replaced byBryan Cristante in the second half of regulation time.[58] On 10 October, Barella scored the opening goal in a 2–1 home victory against Belgium in the bronze medal match of the2020–21 UEFA Nations League.[59]
On 24 March 2024, Barella was given the captain’s armband for the first time in a 2–0 friendly victory againstEcuador, in which he also scored the second goal.[6][8] Later that June, was included in Italy's squad forUEFA Euro 2024.[60] In theAzzurri's first match of the competition, he scored the winning goal in a 2–1 victory againstAlbania with a half-volley from the edge of the box.[61] However, Italy was eliminated by Switzerland in the round of 16 following a 2–0 defeat.[62]
Barella is considered a talented midfielder in the European sports media.[63] He was named the best young Italian player born in 1997 for two consecutive years between 2012 and 2013.[64][65] Italian football journalistMina Rzouki described him as an intelligent, promising, and composed midfielder, despite his young age, with a wide range of skills. She also commented that Barella "...candribble through a defence, score volleys and start counter-attacks. He knows how to find the right passes and isbox-to-box. Most importantly he can win back possession quickly and recover the ball." Barella's performances have also been praised by Italian former footballersAndrea Pirlo andAlessandro Del Piero.[63] The Italian sports newspaperLa Gazzetta dello Sport has compared him toSteven Gerrard, describing him as a dynamic player with good technique, vision, stamina, and physical strength, despite his relatively short stature, as well as an ability to win balls, which enables him to break down possession and subsequently start quick attacking plays. A versatile player, he is capable of playing anywhere in midfield, and has even been used as anattacking midfielder or as adefensive midfielder, but his favoured role is as aright-sided, offensive-mindedcentral midfielder, known as a "mezzala" in Italy. Known for his eye for goal, he possesses a good shot from outside the area, and is known for his ability to make late attacking runs from behind into the penalty area. He is also an accurateset piece andpenalty taker. He is known for his strong character, leadership qualities, competitive spirit, and winning mentality, but has also drawn criticism at times in the press for protesting or arguing excessively with officials during matches.[66][67][68][69][70][71][72][73] He has also been praised for his work-rate and creativity.[74] His Italy teammateJorginho has likened him toN'Golo Kanté.[75] In 2021, former managerFabio Capello described him as one of the three best midfielders in European football,[8] while in 2023,ESPN included him in their list of 100 best men's soccer attacking midfielders.[6]
Barella married Federica Schievenin in 2018, and they have since become parents to three daughters and a son.[76][77]
| Club | Season | League | Coppa Italia | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Cagliari | 2014–15 | Serie A | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 | ||
| 2015–16 | Serie B | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 0 | |||
| 2016–17 | Serie A | 28 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 30 | 0 | |||
| 2017–18 | Serie A | 34 | 6 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 35 | 6 | |||
| 2018–19 | Serie A | 35 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 38 | 1 | |||
| Total | 105 | 7 | 7 | 0 | — | — | 112 | 7 | ||||
| Como (loan) | 2015–16 | Serie B | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 0 | ||
| Inter Milan (loan) | 2019–20 | Serie A | 27 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 10[a] | 2 | — | 41 | 4 | |
| Inter Milan | 2020–21 | Serie A | 36 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 6[b] | 0 | — | 46 | 3 | |
| 2021–22 | Serie A | 36 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 6[b] | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 48 | 4 | |
| 2022–23 | Serie A | 35 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 12[b] | 3 | 1[c] | 0 | 52 | 9 | |
| 2023–24 | Serie A | 37 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8[b] | 0 | 2[c] | 0 | 48 | 2 | |
| 2024–25 | Serie A | 33 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 13[b] | 0 | 6[d] | 0 | 55 | 3 | |
| 2025–26 | Serie A | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3[b] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 1 | |
| Inter total | 216 | 19 | 21 | 2 | 58 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 305 | 26 | ||
| Career total | 337 | 26 | 28 | 2 | 58 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 433 | 33 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 2018 | 4 | 0 |
| 2019 | 8 | 3 | |
| 2020 | 6 | 1 | |
| 2021 | 17 | 3 | |
| 2022 | 7 | 1 | |
| 2023 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 8 | 2 | |
| 2025 | 9 | 0 | |
| Total | 68 | 10 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 23 March 2019 | Stadio Friuli,Udine, Italy | 5 |  Finland | 1–0 | 2–0 | UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying |
| 2 | 8 June 2019 | Olympic Stadium,Athens, Greece | 6 |  Greece | 1–0 | 3–0 | UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying |
| 3 | 18 November 2019 | Stadio Renzo Barbera,Palermo, Italy | 12 |  Armenia | 3–0 | 9–1 | UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying |
| 4 | 7 September 2020 | Johan Cruyff Arena,Amsterdam, Netherlands | 14 |  Netherlands | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2020–21 UEFA Nations League A |
| 5 | 4 June 2021 | Stadio Renato Dall'Ara,Bologna, Italy | 23 |  Czech Republic | 2–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| 6 | 2 July 2021 | Allianz Arena,Munich, Germany | 27 |  Belgium | 1–0 | 2–1 | UEFA Euro 2020 |
| 7 | 10 October 2021 | Juventus Stadium,Turin, Italy | 33 | Belgium | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2021 UEFA Nations League Finals |
| 8 | 7 June 2022 | Stadio Dino Manuzzi,Cesena, Italy | 38 |  Hungary | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2022–23 UEFA Nations League A |
| 9 | 24 March 2024 | Red Bull Arena,Harrison, United States | 53 |  Ecuador | 2–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 10 | 15 June 2024 | Westfalenstadion,Dortmund, Germany | 54 |  Albania | 2–1 | 2–1 | UEFA Euro 2024 |
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Italy U19
Italy U20
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