Cesc Fàbregas named Serie A 2025-2026 Coach of the Year; Nico Paz wins Best Young Player

Cesc Fàbregas was named the top manager of the 2025-2026 Serie A season on Wednesday, while Nico Paz claimed the award for the league's best young player. The honors were presented during the fifteenth edition of the Gran Galà del Calcio, the ceremony organized by the Italian Footballers' Association at Milan's iconic Teatro alla Scala.

• Cesc Fàbregas, Como's head coach, wins the Serie A Manager of the Year award after leading the club to its first Champions League qualification.
• Nico Paz, a Real Madrid academy product, is voted Best Young Player and earns a spot in the team of the season.
• Federico Dimarco takes the Best Player prize and Inter is recognized as the league's top club.
• The gala pays tribute to Franco Baresi and commemorates Italy's 2006 World Cup triumph.

Fàbregas and Como's historic leap into the Champions League

The Spanish manager steered Como to a fourth-place finish in Serie A, a result that secured the Lombardy club a place in the Champions League for the first time in its history. That achievement was enough for Italy's professional footballers, who determine the winners by vote, to select him as the best coach of the campaign.

The recognition comes at a high point for a project that has grown quickly. Fàbregas took charge with the task of establishing the team among the elite, and after sealing European qualification he has become one of the most promising young coaches in European football.

Nico Paz shines in Italy after leaving Real Madrid's academy

The Argentine midfielder, developed in Real Madrid's youth system, extended his stay with the Lombardy side for at least one more season and delivered an outstanding campaign. The AIC named him Serie A's best young footballer, confirming the progress he has made since arriving in Italy.

Alongside his individual honor, Nico Paz earned a place in the league's team of the season. He shares the attacking line of that lineup with Inter striker Lautaro Martínez and Dutch forward Donyell Malen, Roma's main attacking reference.

Dimarco, Inter and the rest of the Serie A team of the season

The award for the league's best player went to Federico Dimarco, the Inter defender. The Italian full-back led a side that won the Scudetto and was rewarded for its season with the best club prize at the Milan gala.

The team of the season was completed by goalkeeper Mile Svilar, defenders Marco Palestra, Alessandro Bastoni and Manuel Akanji, and midfielders Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Scott McTominay and Luka Modric, along with Nico Paz.

Mariani, Liberali and Conceiçao's stunning goal also honored

The Gran Galà del Calcio did not only reward players and clubs. Maurizio Mariani was named the season's best referee, and Mattia Liberali collected the prize for the top young talent in Serie B.

The goal of the season award went to Francisco Conceiçao, the Portuguese winger from Juventus. His volley from the edge of the box, which flew into the top corner past Roma's goalkeeper, won the vote and served as another reminder of his ability to score spectacular goals.

Tributes to Baresi and Italy's 2006 World Cup winners

The ceremony, now in its fifteenth year, also made room for remembrance. Franco Baresi, who passed away on July 31 at the age of 66, was honored as one of the defining figures in Italian football history.

The gala likewise paid tribute to Italy's 2006 World Cup-winning squad, marking the twentieth anniversary of the title conquered in Germany.

Frequently asked questions about the Serie A awards