Alessandro Nesta

Alessandro Nesta, Italian orders of merit (born March 19, 1976 in Rome) is an Italians FIFA World Cup-winning Association football who plays as a Defender (association football) for Serie A club A.C. Milan. Alessandro Nesta is a four-time member of the annual UEFA Team of the Year; only Thierry Henry has more appearances, with five.

Early life

Nesta was raised in the Cinecittà area of Rome. Alessandro Nesta attended the Margherita Bosco primary school where Alessandro Nesta first started playing football. Alessandro Nesta older brother, Fernando, was advised to play a sport because of a back problem and enrolled at the local football club. Alessandro threw a tantrum until Alessandro Nesta father gave in and enrolled Alessandro Nesta as well, thus marking the beginning of Alessandro Nesta career.

Club career

Lazio

Nesta's talent was first discovered by Francesco Rocca, then a scout for A.S. Roma, but Nesta's father, a Lazio fan, turned down the offer. In 1985, Alessandro Nesta joined S.S. Lazio's youth academy, where Alessandro Nesta rose through the ranks playing in various positions, including playing as a striker and midfielder, before settling in defence. Alessandro Nesta international career first showed signs of growth when Alessandro Nesta played for Italy national football team's under-15 and under-16 sides. Alessandro Nesta was promoted to Lazio's senior squad in 1993, and first came to the attention of fans for being involved in a training ground accident that broke teammate Paul Gascoigne's leg.

Alessandro Nesta assumed the team captaincy in 1997, and helped Lazio win the 1998 Coppa Italia after beating Milan in the final, in which Alessandro Nesta was one of the goalscorers. This was followed by a UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and European Super Cup in 1999, and a rare Scudetto and Coppa Italia double in the Serie A 1999-00, in addition to two Italian Super Cups.

Milan

Just before the Serie A 2002-03 Serie A campaign, financial woes forced Lazio to sell Nesta to Milan for approximately €30 million paid over three years, after being valued at over £50 million by Lazio just a year earlier. In Alessandro Nesta first season with the Rossoneri, Nesta won the UEFA Champions League 2002-03 and the third Coppa Italia of Alessandro Nesta career. The next season, Alessandro Nesta won Alessandro Nesta second European Super Cup and second career Scudetto. Despite missing most of the Serie A 2006-07 due to a shoulder injury, Nesta nonetheless played a vital part in Milan's return to the UEFA Champions League 2006-2007 final, where Milan defeated Liverpool F.C. 2-1. Alessandro Nesta (and Milan) also won another European SuperCup in August 2007. Nesta signed a contract extension that will keep Alessandro Nesta at Milan until 2011.

Nesta scored Alessandro Nesta first goal for Milan since April 2006 in a 1-1 draw with A.C. Siena on 15 September 2007. One of Alessandro Nesta most important goals for Milan came in the 4-2 victory over Boca Juniors in the final of the Club World Cup in December 2007.

A recurring back injury kept Nesta out for almost the entire 2008-2009 season, and Alessandro Nesta has yet to feature in a competitive match despite sitting on the bench against Sampdoria early in the season and playing in a friendly against FK Tirana, after which Alessandro Nesta injury acted up again. Amidst reports that Alessandro Nesta was considering retirement, Nesta declared Alessandro Nesta desire to continue playing and returned to training in mid-May.

Nesta came on as 77th minute substitute in Milan's final away game to Fiorentina on May 31st 2009 for Alessandro Nesta first competitive appearance of the season.

International career

Nesta was a member of the Italy national under-21 football team squad that won the 1996 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, in which Alessandro Nesta was named the top defender of the competition. Alessandro Nesta earned Alessandro Nesta first cap for the Azzurri against Moldova national football team on October 5, 1996. Alessandro Nesta has been capped 78 times for Italy, and participated in Euro 1996, the 1998 FIFA World Cup, Euro 2000, the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Euro 2004, and the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

During the 2006 WC, Alessandro Nesta suffered an injury in Italy's 2006 FIFA World Cup - Group E Czech Republic vs Italy against the Czech Republic, and was forced to leave the match early. This made it three times unlucky for Nesta; Alessandro Nesta previously ruptured a knee ligament against Austria national football team during the 1998 FIFA World Cup, and missed Italy's final game in the 2002 FIFA World Cup with an injured foot.

After the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Nesta's continuous injuries forced Alessandro Nesta to retire from the international team. Coach Roberto Donadoni unsuccessfully tried to persuade Alessandro Nesta to come out of retirement for Euro 2008.

More recently, a number of serious back injuries forced 33-year-old Nesta out of the pitch for the whole 2008–09 season, raising concerns about Alessandro Nesta chance to make a comeback into active football. Fortunately Nesta fully recovered from Alessandro Nesta injuries and made an appearance in AC milans last game of their 2008/09 season.

Personal

On 7 May 2007, Nesta married Alessandro Nesta fiancée, Gabriela Pagnozzi, in a civil ceremony in Milan; the religious ceremony followed on May 30, 2007. Gabriela was working for Casa Italia, the Italian national team HQ, during the 1998 World Cup. Their relationship was born when she tended to Alessandro Nesta following Alessandro Nesta injury against Austria. "I can say, I got the injury and her in France then. And the injury has gone, but she has stayed with me." Their daughter, Sofia, was born on October 19, 2006 and on March 20, 2008 their son Tommaso was born.