Alessandro Nesta

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10 Mar 2024

Alessandro Nesta

Alessandro Nesta, born on March 19, 1976, is an Italian professional football manager and former player. Currently serving as the manager of Serie B club Reggiana, Nesta is widely regarded as one of the best defenders in the history of football. His exceptional skills as a centre-back were characterized by pace, artistic tackles, ball elegance, precise distribution, and tight marking of opponents.

Nesta's illustrious career spanned over 20 years, primarily with Lazio and AC Milan in Serie A. During this period, he made over 400 Serie A appearances and achieved both domestic and European success with both clubs. Notably, he won several individual awards, including four Serie A Defender of the Year titles and four selections to the annual UEFA Team of the Year. FIFA recognized his contributions by naming him one of the Top 100 greatest living footballers in 2004. In 2021, Nesta was rightfully inducted into the Italian Football Hall of Fame.

In addition to his contributions at the club level, Nesta was a key member of the Italy national team for a decade, earning a total of 78 caps. His international career included participation in the 1996 Olympics, three UEFA European Championships, and three FIFA World Cups. Nesta played a crucial role in Italy's triumph at the 2006 World Cup and was also part of the team that reached the final of Euro 2000. His achievements and impact on the sport have solidified his legacy as one of the greatest defenders in football history.

Lazio

Alessandro Nesta's football journey began with Lazio in 1985, where he initially played in various positions, including striker and midfielder. Eventually, he found his place as a defender and made his first-team debut on March 13, 1994, in a 2–2 away draw against Udinese.
Under the management of Sven-Göran Eriksson, Nesta assumed the captaincy in 1997. He played a pivotal role in helping Lazio secure the 1998 Coppa Italia, scoring the winning goal against AC Milan in the final. Despite losing in the UEFA Cup Final that season to Internazionale, Nesta's outstanding performances earned him the Serie A Young Footballer of the Year Award at the 1998 Italian football awards.

In the subsequent season, Nesta faced challenges due to ligament injuries sustained during the 1998 FIFA World Cup, forcing him to miss a significant portion of the campaign. However, upon his return in December, he captained Lazio in the title race, narrowly losing by a single point on the final day. Despite this setback, Nesta secured two international trophies for Lazio: the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup against Mallorca and the European Super Cup against Manchester United in August.

The peak of Nesta's career with Lazio came in the 1999–2000 season when he led the team to a historic double, winning both the Serie A title (Scudetto) and the Coppa Italia. During this successful period, he was awarded three consecutive Serie A Defender of the Year titles from 2000 to 2002.Financial difficulties at Lazio, coupled with the sale of Nesta to AC Milan in 2002, marked the end of his tenure with the club. The transfer involved a backlog salary of €2 million, with half of it converted into shares of the Biancocelesti club.

AC Milan

Alessandro Nesta's tenure with AC Milan, starting from the 2002–03 Serie A campaign, saw him become an integral part of the team's formidable defensive lineup, which included Paolo Maldini, Cafu, Alessandro Costacurta, and Jaap Stam.In his debut season with Milan, Nesta achieved significant success. He won the UEFA Champions League in the 2002–03 season, defeating Juventus in an all-Italian final. Nesta played a crucial role in keeping a clean sheet during the match, which ultimately went to a penalty shootout, where Milan emerged victorious. Additionally, Milan won the Coppa Italia against Roma, and Nesta was once again recognized with the Serie A Defender of the Year award and a place in the UEFA Team of the Year.

The following season brought further triumphs, with Milan securing the European Super Cup against Porto and capturing their second consecutive Scudetto. Nesta continued to excel and earned a place in the UEFA Team of the Year for the third consecutive season.
In the 2004–05 season, Milan reached the UEFA Champions League final but suffered a defeat to Liverpool on penalties. Despite this setback, Nesta earned a spot in the 2005 FIFPro World XI for his outstanding performances.

The subsequent seasons saw Nesta's consistent contributions to Milan's success, even amidst challenges such as the 2006 match-fixing scandal that led to point deductions for both Milan and Juventus. Milan won the 2006–07 Champions League, with Nesta playing a vital role in the final against Liverpool.In August 2007, Nesta secured his third European Super Cup as Milan defeated Sevilla 3–1. He extended his contract with Milan until 2011. Throughout the 2008–09 season, Nesta faced serious back injuries, sidelining him for the entire season.

Nesta made a triumphant comeback in the 2009–10 season, scoring his first brace for Milan and forming a solid defensive partnership with Thiago Silva. The 2010–11 season proved to be Nesta's last with Milan, as he played a crucial role in the team's Serie A victory. Despite speculation about retirement, Nesta signed a contract extension in May 2011.
Nesta's final season with Milan (2011–12) included winning the 2011 Supercoppa Italiana. He announced his retirement from Serie A in May 2012 after a decade with Milan, accumulating numerous honors, including two Serie A titles, a Coppa Italia, two Supercoppa Italiana titles, two UEFA Champions League trophies, two UEFA Super Cups, and a FIFA Club World Cup. During his Milan career, Nesta made 325 appearances and scored 10 goals.

Alessandro Nesta had a distinguished international career with the Italian national team, making significant contributions in various competitions.He began by winning the 1996 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship with the under-21 squad, showcasing his skills in the final against Spain, where Italy emerged victorious in a penalty shootout. Nesta made his debut for the senior national team in a World Cup qualifier against Moldova on October 5, 1996, under manager Cesare Maldini.

Nesta participated in his first major tournament, the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, where Italy reached the quarter-finals but were eliminated by the hosts and eventual champions, France. Despite injury limiting his appearances in the tournament, Nesta's defensive prowess was evident.His next major tournament was UEFA Euro 2000, where Italy reached the final but were defeated by France. Nesta formed a formidable defensive partnership with Paolo Maldini and Fabio Cannavaro, contributing to Italy's impressive defensive record throughout the tournament. His performances earned him a place in the Team of the Tournament.
In the 2002 World Cup, Nesta played a crucial role in Italy's defense during the group stage but missed the second-round match due to injury. Italy was controversially eliminated in that round by co-hosts South Korea. Nesta continued to feature prominently in the Euro 2004 qualifying campaign, but Italy faced disappointment once again, exiting the tournament in the group stage.