Inter’s dominance of Italian football was given an official seal at the Gran Gala del Calcio, where the Nerazzurri were crowned Serie A Club of the Year and Federico Dimarco walked away with the night’s biggest individual prize.
On an evening built to celebrate a season’s worth of work, it was the wing-back from Milan who stood tallest. Voted Serie A Player of the Year by his fellow professionals, Dimarco stepped up to collect an award that tells the story of his rise from promising prospect to one of the league’s defining figures.
Dimarco, from heartbreak to headline act
Dimarco did not hide what the accolade meant to him. “Receiving an award like this is unique,” he said, the words carrying the weight of a journey shaped as much by defeat as by victory.
That journey, he made clear, traces back to one of Inter’s most painful nights. “My breakthrough? It all started after the lost Champions League final against PSG, which pushed us to give our absolute maximum,” Dimarco explained.
The hurt from that loss has become fuel. Last season he set the assist record; this season, he wants more. “Last year I set the assist record, and this season I want to improve even further,” he stated, turning an individual honour into a promise of added responsibility.
Inter colours all over Team of the Season
The Team of the Season underlined just how thoroughly Inter have imposed themselves on the league. The ideal eleven, voted across the division, read like a roll call of the campaign’s standouts: Mile Svilar, Marco Palestra, Alessandro Bastoni, Manuel Akanji, Scott McTominay, Luka Modric, Hakan Calhanoglu, Nico Paz, Lautaro Martinez and Donyell Malen, with Dimarco the headline act.
Inter’s fingerprints were everywhere. Bastoni at the back, Calhanoglu dictating the tempo, Lautaro leading the line. The club’s presence in the line-up mirrored the balance and depth that powered their season.
Lautaro’s pride in a “great group”
If Dimarco’s award captured the story of personal growth, Lautaro Martinez’s recognition spoke to the strength of the collective.
“It is always an honour to receive votes from colleagues,” the captain said. “We have a great group and had a fantastic season.”
No grandstanding, no need for embellishment. Just a captain acknowledging a dressing room that has carried Inter to the summit and kept them there.
Contract clouds over a golden night
For Dimarco, though, the glow of the spotlight came with a sharper edge. He admitted that, despite his performances and the trophies now on his shelf, talks over a new contract with Inter have not even begun.
“Renewal? Unfortunately, we haven’t spoken about it,” he revealed. “I hoped it would happen after last season’s performance.”
The contrast was striking: Player of the Year on stage, uncertainty off it. On a night of applause and trophies, the future of one of Inter’s key men remains unresolved.
Eyes already on Napoli
Dimarco did not dwell on the issue for long. His focus, he insisted, is fixed on the pitch and on the immediate challenge in front of Inter.
“Now I want to remain focused on the match against Napoli,” he said. “We haven’t been able to win against them for too long.”
The awards, the gala, the speeches – all of it fades quickly in the rhythm of a season. Inter leave the Gran Gala del Calcio with the label of Italy’s best and with its standout player in their ranks, but Napoli await, and Dimarco knows nights like these only matter if they are followed by more of the same on the grass.
