For Wesley Sneijder, an evening in Trento brought old Inter emotions into a new season. The former Nerazzurri midfielder, now 42, received the affection of supporters at the Festival dello Sport and watched video messages from former treble-winning teammates including Javier Zanetti, Marco Materazzi and Cristian Chivu, who recorded his greeting from Appiano Gentile. Later, as the Netherlands defeated Serbia through goals from Teun Koopmeiners and Joshua Zirkzee, Sneijder reflected on an Inter side he believes is ready to pursue another European run.
The coach and the club
Sneijder sees Chivu as central to Inter’s development. In his view, the coach has gradually placed a clear identity on the team after a beginning complicated by the circumstances around him.
“At first it did not feel entirely like his own team,” Sneijder said. “Then, over time, he created a side with a recognisable style. Inter are more aggressive now and they play modern football well.”
He believes Chivu has the authority and the character required at the club, while noting the former defender’s continuing bond with the players and supporters. Sneijder was struck by Chivu running to celebrate beneath the curva after a result, an image that reminded him that some things have not changed despite the move into management.
“He seems made to coach Inter,” Sneijder said. “He may look a little older, but he is still the same person inside.”
That does not remove the practical work ahead. Sneijder identified the effects of a long international break as an issue Chivu must assess, particularly after a World Cup that may have affected some players’ preparation. He also suggested Inter cannot keep relying on recovery performances after falling behind.
“Once everything clicks, they will not keep finding themselves two goals down,” he said. “But they have recovered every time, and they nearly did it in Madrid too. Only strong teams produce comebacks like that.”
Inter’s place in Italy and Europe
Sneijder considers Inter the leading team in Serie A and among the strongest sides in the Champions League, although he believes the true standing of Europe’s elite will emerge only as the competition progresses.
He hopes the club can return to a Champions League final, even joking about Madrid as a familiar setting for such an occasion. This time, however, the final would be staged at the Metropolitano rather than the Bernabeu.
“What matters is that they are prepared to try,” he said. “They have a very in-form Lautaro and the right coach. This group has been winning for years, but it can still take a final step.”
Sneijder stressed that the squad must preserve its enjoyment. For him, the sight of a group playing with confidence and freedom remains an important part of sustaining a challenge across Italy and Europe.
The faces of Inter’s season
Lautaro Martinez remains the player who has most caught Sneijder’s attention. He compared the forward’s connection with Inter to Zanetti’s enduring attachment to the shirt, while praising the striker’s instinctive edge in front of goal.
“Lautaro is truly in love with Inter,” Sneijder said. “He has the look of a ruthless striker, and that already gives him half a goal.”
He also highlighted the contribution of Inter’s newer English players. Curtis Jones was described as a modern and high-level midfielder, while Djed Spence was judged to offer a more attacking presence on the flank than Denzel Dumfries.
At the heart of the side, Sneijder sees Nicolo Barella and Hakan Calhanoglu as crucial. He reserved particular praise for Calhanoglu’s quality on the ball and his shooting technique.
Calhanoglu’s contract is due to expire at the end of the season, when he will already be 33. Sneijder did not claim knowledge of the negotiations, but his view was uncomplicated: a player of that quality should be retained.
“I would keep someone like him whenever possible,” he said. “His age does not look like a major issue to me.”
The Dutchman also pointed to Inter’s capacity for renewal. Marcus Thuram has continued to perform at a high level, while Pio Esposito has emerged as a major prospect. Sneijder believes Esposito’s physical qualities have also helped Italy’s national side.
“He has remarkable physical strength and he is pushing the national team with it,” Sneijder said. “I love Italy, and I think everyone wants to see the Azzurri back at the highest level.”
The challengers in Serie A
Inter may be Sneijder’s clear favourites, but he does not see the championship as a closed contest. Roma, under Gian Piero Gasperini, stand out in his assessment because of their aggression and the threat posed by Donyell Malen.
Sneijder praised Malen’s regular scoring and his ability to attack space at the right moment, describing that movement as a rare quality. He also named Como as one of the season’s most intriguing teams, with attention increasingly focused on their progress.
Yet the established powers remain in the conversation. Milan, Juventus and Napoli cannot be dismissed, Sneijder said, even if Inter have set the standard so far.
From Trento to the Netherlands
The gathering in Trento also carried the weight of Sneijder’s own Inter history. The messages from his former teammates moved him, and Chivu’s appearance from the club’s training base underlined how closely Sneijder still follows the Nerazzurri.
His attention then turned to the Netherlands, where the team coached by Xavi overcame Serbia with Serie A-linked scorers Koopmeiners and Zirkzee finding the net. Sneijder supported the federation’s decision to appoint a coach familiar with Dutch football culture.
“They chose well in giving the job to someone who understands the Dutch school,” he said. “Against Serbia, two players who have been important in Serie A in recent years both scored.”
He was also asked about Jose Mourinho’s return to Real Madrid. Sneijder rejected the suggestion that Mourinho had lost his special touch, arguing that the world’s biggest club would not have brought him back if that were the case.
“The pressure there is enormous,” he said. “If Jose had pressure 15 years ago, he will have twice as much now. But with a coach like him, anything is possible.”
A return to himself
Sneijder ended on a more personal note. He said retirement had initially been difficult, particularly as both of his parents became ill one after the other. He explained that the period affected him physically as well as emotionally.
“When I stopped playing, I was not happy,” he said. “I had to go through many difficult moments and I fought for my parents. I had gained weight too, partly because of that.”
He now feels healthier, while acknowledging the loss that cannot be undone.
“My parents will not come back,” Sneijder said, “but the old Wes has returned.”
