Alessandro Nesta
Centre-back · AC Milan · Italy
About Alessandro Nesta
Alessandro Nesta is widely regarded as one of the greatest central defenders in football history. Elegant, commanding and devastatingly effective, he formed one of the most imperious defensive partnerships in history with Paolo Maldini at AC Milan. He won two Champions Leagues, two Serie A titles and the 2006 World Cup with Italy.
Alessandro Nesta's story
Lazio Boyhood
Nesta grew up a Lazio fan in Rome and joined their academy, making his debut at 17. He captained Lazio to their only Serie A title in 2000 under Sven-Göran Eriksson and was already regarded as the finest defender in the world before turning 25.
AC Milan
A financial crisis at Lazio forced his sale to AC Milan in 2002 for €30m. At Milan he formed a legendary defensive partnership with Maldini, winning two Champions League titles (2003, 2007) and two Serie A championships. The 2007 triumph at 31 was arguably his finest individual season.
World Cup Glory
Nesta was a cornerstone of Italy's 2006 World Cup winning squad — arguably the finest defensive unit in tournament history. He retired from international football after the tournament with 78 caps and moved to Montreal in 2012 before retiring in 2013.
Did you know?
- ⚽ He and Paolo Maldini formed what many consider the greatest central defensive partnership in football history — AC Milan's back four of the 2000s conceded barely anything at the highest level.
- 🏆 He won the 2006 World Cup with Italy and two Champions League titles with AC Milan (2003, 2007), making him one of the most decorated defenders of his generation.
- 👨👩👧👦 Married to Gabriella, they have two daughters. Nesta settled in Canada after his playing career, managing CF Montréal and later Frosinone in Serie B.
- 🌍 He was named in the UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season multiple times and is widely voted the greatest centre-back of the 2000s decade by fans and analysts alike.
- 🎖️ He was Serie A Defender of the Year four times and is one of only a handful of players to win the World Cup, Champions League, Serie A and the Coppa Italia.
Honours
- UEFA Champions League x2: AC Milan (2003, 2007)
- Serie A x3: Lazio (2000), AC Milan (2004, 2011)
- FIFA World Cup: Italy 2006
- Coppa Italia x3: Lazio (1998, 2000, 2004)
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