Inter's title-winning stars aiming for global glory
Lautaro Martinez, Marcus Thuram and Denzel Dumfries are just some of Inter’s title-winning side who will be competing at the upcoming World Cup.
Inter sealed their 21st Scudetto in the club’s history
Several of their players are set to feature at the upcoming World Cup
FIFA takes a closer look at the season enjoyed by Inter’s international stars
Inter’s victory over Parma in their last Serie A game confirmed the inevitable: the Nerazzurri have been crowned Italian champions for the 21st time in their history. Cristian Chivu’s side got their hands on the trophy with some thrilling performances and unwavering consistency from the get-go. Next week, Inter will also have the opportunity to lift the Coppa Italia, as they go toe-to-toe with Lazio in the final at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
From technical leaders to veterans and emerging talents, many of the Scudetto-winning squad will be at the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026™ representing their national teams across Canada, Mexico and the United States. Some of them are already well-established players, while others will be looking to announce themselves on football’s biggest stage.
Martinez was once again the focal point of Inter’s trophy-winning side. The captain spearheaded the attack with decisive goals, leadership and unwavering commitment to the cause, forming one of Europe’s most feared attacking partnerships alongside Marcus Thuram. The Argentinian is currently top of the Serie A scoring charts and could be named top scorer for the second time in his Inter career, after finishing as the division’s most prolific player in the 2023/24 season.
After lifting the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ with Argentina, Martinez will head into the 2026 tournament as one of the Albiceleste’s key attacking players, as they aim to defend their title. The Inter striker’s aim will be to earn more minutes and play a bigger role than he did in Qatar, having come on leaps and bounds in recent years and now boasting invaluable experience at club level in Italy.
Thuram has enjoyed a superb season, proving decisive in the title race with big goals and standout displays. France are placing a lot of faith in the Inter striker, who has now established himself as a regular starter for Les Bleus. His performances with Inter have cemented his place as one of Europe’s best strikers.
Inter’s title-winning side have also benefited from the international experience of Dumfries and De Vrij. Dumfries brought drive, physicality and relentless intensity down the right flank, while De Vrij emerged as one of the key leaders in Chivu’s dressing room. Dumfries’ season was hampered by an injury that kept him sidelined for around three months, while the centre-back was handed less playing time than he had enjoyed in previous seasons. But both are tipped to be key figures for the Netherlands, as they will go head-to-head with Japan, Sweden and Tunisia in the group stage.
Calhanoglu remains the beating heart of Inter’s midfield. A deep-lying playmaker, penalty specialist and experienced figure, the Turkish midfielder was crucial to Inter’s season, with his technical quality, ability to dictate tempo and control the game, and his knack for chipping in with decisive goals that proved vital along the way. Türkiye, with Italian coach Vincenzo Montella at the helm, will be relying on him to spring an upset at the North American World Cup.
Akanji stood out as one of Inter’s key defensive pillars throughout the season. The Swiss centre-back added balance and stability to the backline, helping Inter boast one of the most miserly defences in the league. With Switzerland drawn in Group B alongside Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Qatar, he will be one of the key defensive leaders at the FIFA World Cup 2026.
One of the emerging talents in Inter’s title-winning squad is Sucic. The young Croatian midfielder made a name for himself during Inter’s campaign and could turn out to be one of the surprise packages at the World Cup. Croatia is a side in transition, and Sucic is one of the most promising talents in this new crop of players, and certainly one to keep tabs on at the World Cup.
“Playing for Croatia is a huge honour for me, and I’m fully aware that I can only earn that privilege through consistent performances on the pitch and by showing the right attitude and behaviour,” he told FIFA. “That’s how our team operates, and that’s why we’ve had so much success.”
Nicolo Barella, Alessandro Bastoni, Federico Dimarco, Francesco Pio Esposito and Davide Frattesi all played major roles in Inter’s Scudetto triumph, but saw their World Cup hopes end in disappointment with Italy’s penalty shoot-out defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the UEFA play-offs. However, other Inter players are still hoping to be called up: Yann Bisseck could be part of Germany’s squad, while Ange-Yoan Bonny could earn a call-up from Côte d’Ivoire.
For Inter, having so many players involved at the world’s biggest football tournament underlines the strength of the project built in recent years: a side capable of winning the league in Italy and with players competing at the very highest level internationally.