Alessandro Nesta player profile
At 30, Alessandro Nesta is the youngest piece in the defensive jigsaw at Milan.
Blessed with pace, intelligence and a sound reading of the game, he is widely regarded as one of the best defenders in the world.
"I felt immediately this was a great talent, the way he ran, with his back straight. And a natural gift of playing the ball simply."
Felice Pulici.
Nesta started his career at Lazio in 1985, at the age of ten. By the age of 15, he was included in Italian Under-15 and Under-16 squads
In 1993 he was a member of the Lazio first team. By 1996, he had broken into the Italian Under-21 setup, and was a member of the team that defeated Spain in the final of the European Championship.
Nesta also won the prize for best defender in the tournament. That same year he was recognised in the Italian squad, making his full debut against Moldova on October 5, 1996.
After international recognition came the captaincy of Lazio, and in the following season Lazio won the 1998 Italian Cup. He also won the 2000 scudetto and Italian Cup. He also captained Lazio to the Cup Winners' Cup, beating Real Mallorca 2-1, at Villa Park in 1999.
Four years ago, he commanded a £20 million transfer fee when he was sold from Lazio. Nesta was held in such high regard by the Lazio fans that they protested in the streets.
Nesta brought success to Milan which has seen him win the scudetto, Coppa Italia, UEFA Champions League and European Super Cup.
In terms of the world stage, Nesta has also seen recognition of his talents, being named in the Euro 2000 team of the tournament, despite losing to France in the final. He has represented Italy at the last four major tournaments, earning 73 caps along the way, failing to score, or pick up any titles.
Italy boast a rich array of talents in defence, with Nesta and Fabio Cannavaro forming a formidable defensive wall, coupled with the reassurance of having the best goalkeeper in the world, Gianluigi Buffon, behind them.
Hailing from a country who founded their football underpinning on defensive strength, Nesta will play a crucial part in keeping World Cup predators quiet.
