Nicolò Barella facts for kids
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Barella with Italy in 2021
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 7 February 1997 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Cagliari, Italy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.72 m | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Central midfielder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current club | 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 | 161 | (17) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 | 59 | (10) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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† Appearances (Goals). |
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Nicolò Barella (born 7 February 1997) is an Italian professional footballer. He plays as a central midfielder for the club Inter Milan and the Italy national team. Many people think he is one of the best midfielders in the world. He is known for his great skills, hard work, and creative play.
Contents
Nicolò Barella's Club Career
Starting with Cagliari and Como
Nicolò Barella was born in Cagliari, Italy. He grew up playing football in the youth teams of Cagliari Calcio. His first game as a professional was on 15 January 2015. He played for Cagliari in the Coppa Italia cup.
On 4 May 2015, he made his debut in Serie A, Italy's top football league. He came into the game against Parma when Cagliari won 4–0.
In January 2016, Barella went to play for Como on loan. This team was in Serie B, the second division. He played many games there as a regular starter.
After returning to Cagliari, he scored his first goal on 17 September 2017. It was against SPAL in a 2–0 win. A few months later, at just 20 years old, he became the youngest captain in Cagliari's history.
By February 2019, Barella had played 100 games for Cagliari. He was only 22 years old. That season, he recovered the most balls (253) in 2018–19 Serie A. He was also named the best midfielder of the season. He was chosen for the Serie A Team of the Year for the first time.
Playing for Inter Milan
On 12 July 2019, Barella joined Inter Milan. He first joined on a loan deal, which later became a permanent contract. He played his first game for Inter on 26 August against Lecce. He came on as a substitute and helped his team win 4–0.
His first game in the Champions League was on 17 September. He scored a goal in injury time to help Inter draw 1–1 against Slavia Prague. This was his first goal in the Champions League and for Inter. On 9 November, he scored his first league goal for Inter against Verona.
Barella scored his first goal in the Coppa Italia on 29 January 2020. Inter won 2–1 against Fiorentina. That season, Inter reached the Europa League final. They lost to Sevilla. Barella was included in the Serie A Team of the Year and the UEFA Europa League Squad of the Season.
On 17 January 2021, Barella helped Inter win 2–0 against their rivals Juventus. He set up one goal and scored another. At the end of the 2020–21 Serie A season, Inter won the Scudetto (the Italian league title). Barella was named the Best Midfielder and was again in the Serie A Team of the Year.
On 5 November 2021, Barella signed a new contract with Inter until 2026. In the 2021–22 season, Inter won the Coppa Italia and the Supercoppa Italiana. Barella made 12 assists that season, which was the most for an Inter player since 2004–05. He was in the Serie A Team of the Year for the fourth year in a row.
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In the 2022–23 season, Barella helped Inter win the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana again. He also helped Inter reach the Champions League final. This was the first time Inter had reached the final in 13 years. He was named Player of the Match for his great performance against Barcelona.
On 29 October 2023, Barella played his 200th game for Inter. On 22 April 2024, he won the Serie A title for the second time. He was also included in the Serie A Team of the Year for a record sixth time in a row. In June 2024, he extended his contract with Inter until 2029.
On 30 August 2024, he scored his first goal of the 2024–25 season with a fantastic shot. He also won the Player of the Match award twice in the 2024–25 UEFA Champions League.
Nicolò Barella's International Career
Barella has played for Italy at many youth levels.
- With the Italy U19 team, he finished second in the 2016 UEFA European Under-19 Championship.
- With the Italy U20 team, he finished third in the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
He made his debut for the Italy U21 team on 1 September 2017.
Barella was first called up to the senior Italy squad in October 2017. He made his debut for Italy on 10 October 2018. On 23 March 2019, Barella scored his first goal for Italy in a 2–0 win against Finland.
In June 2021, he was part of Italy's squad for UEFA Euro 2020. He helped Italy win the tournament. In the quarter-finals, he scored Italy's first goal and assisted another in a 2–1 win against Belgium. On 11 July, Italy won the European Championship by beating England in a penalty shootout in the final.
On 10 October 2021, Barella scored a goal in a 2–1 win against Belgium. This was in the third-place match of the 2020–21 UEFA Nations League.
On 24 March 2024, Barella was captain for Italy for the first time. He also scored a goal in a 2–0 win against Ecuador.
In June 2024, he was in Italy's squad for UEFA Euro 2024. He scored the winning goal in their first match against Albania.
How Nicolò Barella Plays
Barella is seen as a very talented midfielder in Europe. He was named the best young Italian player born in 1997 for two years in a row. People describe him as smart, promising, and calm, even when he was young. He has many skills.
- He can dribble past defenders.
- He can score goals with volleys (kicking the ball before it hits the ground).
- He can start quick attacks.
- He knows how to make the right passes.
- He is a "box-to-box" player, meaning he plays well all over the field.
- Most importantly, he is great at winning the ball back quickly.
Former Italian football stars like Andrea Pirlo and Alessandro Del Piero have praised Barella's performances. Some have compared him to Steven Gerrard. They say he is a dynamic player with good technique, vision, and strength. He is also known for his strong character and leadership. He works very hard and is very creative. His teammate Jorginho has compared him to N'Golo Kanté. In 2021, former manager Fabio Capello said Barella was one of the top three midfielders in Europe.
Nicolò Barella's Personal Life
Nicolò Barella married Federica Schievenin in 2018. They have three daughters and one son.
Nicolò Barella's International Goals
Here are the goals Nicolò Barella has scored for the Italian national team:
| 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 |
Nicolò Barella's Awards and Trophies
Inter Milan
- Serie A: 2020–21, 2023–24 (won the league title)
- Coppa Italia: 2021–22, 2022–23 (won the Italian Cup)
- Supercoppa Italiana: 2021, 2022, 2023 (won the Italian Supercup)
- UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2022–23 (finished second)
- UEFA Europa League runner-up: 2019–20 (finished second)
Italy U19
- UEFA European Under-19 Championship runner-up: 2016 (finished second)
Italy U20
- FIFA U-20 World Cup third place: 2017 (finished third)
Italy
- UEFA European Championship: 2020 (won the European Championship)
- UEFA Nations League third place: 2020–21, 2022–23 (finished third)
Individual Awards
- Ballon d'Or nominee: 2021, 2023 (nominated for best player award)
- Premio Bulgarelli Number 8: 2019–20 (award for best midfielder)
- Serie A Team of the Year: 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24 (chosen as one of the best players in the league)
- UEFA Europa League Squad of the Season: 2019–20
- Serie A Best Midfielder: 2020–21, 2022–23 (named best midfielder in Serie A)
- Serie A Team of the Season: 2022–23
- Serie A Goal of the Month: August 2024
- Gazzetta Sports Awards Exploit of the Year: 2021
- Giuseppe Prisco Award: 2022
Orders
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5th Class / Knight: Cavaliere Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana: 2021 (a special honor from the Italian Republic)
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See also
In Spanish: Nicolò Barella para niños
