Inter parts ways with De Vrij: thank you for everything, Stefan! | OneFootball

"They’ve called me here to build a wall." Eight years have passed since Stefan de Vrij uttered those words in his first interview as an Inter player. It was a promise to the Nerazzurri world, a statement of confidence. That wall proved every bit as elegant as it was resilient: strong enough to withstand every challenge, the foundation upon which so many of Inter's successes were built during the eight seasons Stefan de Vrij wore the Nerazzurri shirt.

We placed our trust in Stefan, holding him accountable for the construction of our defence. Brick by brick. Season after season. Reliable, composed and unshakeable. Elegant in possession, clinical in building from the back, commanding in the air and formidable in one-on-one duels. Trowel in one hand and mortar in the other, he laid every brick with care and precision. Perhaps, in those moments, he thought back to the walls of his hometown of Rotterdam, where he grew up, where he learned the art of defending, and where his football journey began.

And as his construction rose before our eyes, we were able to appreciate what he was creating. His 2019/20 Serie A Best Defender award, earned in just his second season with Inter, showed how quickly those foundations had been laid. There were highlights within the building process, too: De Vrij scored 13 goals for Inter, three of them coming in the Derby della Madonnina against AC Milan. The first arrived in the dramatic 3-2 victory on 17 March 2019, a crucial result in the race for Champions League qualification. The third came on 2 February 2025, when his stoppage-time equaliser rescued a 1-1 draw. But perhaps the most unforgettable was the one in between. On 9 February 2020, with Inter having been 2-0 down, Stefan rose highest to power home a regal header that completed an extraordinary comeback, turning the derby on its head as San Siro erupted in celebration.

Dalla stagione successiva, poi, il muro di De Vrij ha cominciato ad accogliere trofei: titoli e successi su cui ha messo la firma con la sua impeccabile professionalità, con la sua estrema dedizione, con l’attenzione al centro della difesa a tre che è stata la costante delle sue stagioni nerazzurre. Una leadership che lo ha portato a indossare la fascia di capitano sia in campionato che in Champions League, una costanza mai venuta meno, anche nei momenti difficili, nelle sconfitte o nell’affrontare qualche problema fisico: Stefan è sempre stato pronto a dare il massimo, a mettere il piede, la testa o il corpo a difesa della sua area, della sua porta, perché il suo muro doveva rimanere solido e duraturo nel tempo.

Ci è riuscito, Stefan, ha mantenuto la sua promessa: otto anni di legame con i colori nerazzurri, otto stagioni di lealtà, d’amore, di successi, in cui ha riempito la bacheca con tre Scudetti, tre Coppe Italia, tre Supercoppe Italiane, coronando una meravigliosa avventura da 296 presenze, 13 gol e 8 assist. Partita dopo partita, mattone dopo mattone, il muro è stato completato alla perfezione. Una colonna portante della storia recente, capace di trasmettere un senso di sicurezza già solo con l’annuncio: “Con il numero 6, Stefan De Vrij!”

Grazie, Stefan: è stato bellissimo vincere insieme!