Nico Paz, a 21-year-old midfielder for Como, was distinguished in the Italian football gala for his great season. He received the award for best young player and was also chosen by Luka Modric as the best player of the entire Serie A 2025/26. Modric, who played with Paz at Real Madrid, knows the Argentine's conditions firsthand and has now put him back in the spotlight by naming him the standout player of the last Italian championship.
Paz's last season established him definitively among the highlighted names of Italian football. He was recognized in the Gran Gala del Calcio AIC and received the distinction of a historic: Luka Modric chose him as the best player of the entire Serie A 2025/26. The recognition came after a campaign in which the 21-year-old midfielder became a fundamental piece for the Como team directed by Cesc Fábregas. In his second season in Italy, Paz gave a significant jump in his offensive production and consolidated himself as one of the tournament's figures.
The Gran Gala has a particularity: the awards come from the elections of the Italian football players themselves. Therefore, Paz's presence among the distinguished ones acquires a special relevance. The Argentine was elected as the best young player of Serie A and also appeared in the tournament's ideal team. There, he shared formation with several of the most important names in the championship, including Modric.
The ideal team was formed by Svilar; Palestra, Akanji, Bastoni, Dimarco; Çalhanoglu, Modrić, McTominay; Lautaro, Malen, and Nico Paz. But Modric's recognition was even greater: he didn't just incline towards Paz within the young players' category, but also chose him as the best footballer of the entire competition.