var playerInfo={"72FFC7073AEDD99FBC6698239F961CC0":"2023-6-10","809C0B5A31626463":"1627","249186B187931B83":"79kg","0FA2227E78AF1E09":"Alessandro Nesta","2A56C1DBE121525F":"A.C. Reggiana 1919","50F712C5D7EA2EE5C48850A5D641D459":"Frosinone","58D6F117B0E852FD":"187cm","A16C626949206183":"797","C1F9C3B7B448DF0B30693C46CF342E45":"Regarded as one of the best defenders in Europe, Alessandro Nesta is powerful yet extremely mobile. His elegance conceals his toughness and he possesses an impeccable positional sense.

National team

He first starred for Cesare Maldini's UEFA European Under-21 Championship-winning Azzurini in 1996, and he was called into the senior squad for EURO 96? following the withdrawal of Ciro Ferrara but did not play. Nesta made his debut later that year and subsequently helped Italy to reach the final of UEFA EURO 2000?, where he was named in the UEFA Team of the Tournament, and played in the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

UEFA EURO 2004? qualifying

Like Gianluigi Buffon and Fabio Cannavaro, Nesta played in all of Italy's eight qualifying matches. However, unlike those two, Nesta did not finish the last fixture against Azerbaijan, as he was substituted on 76 minutes.

Club

Born in the Italian capital, the defender was first given a trial at Lazio as a ten-year-old, and until his move north to AC Milan had spent his entire senior career at the Stadio Olimpico, where he was a hero to the supporters. A first-team regular from the 1995\/96 season, Nesta became the first player in the club's history to lift a European trophy when they claimed the last UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1999, and the following season led the team to the Serie A title. When Lazio fans heard of Nesta's €30.2m transfer deadline day move to Milan in August 2002, they demonstrated on the streets of Rome.

2002\/03: Nesta was superb in the UEFA Champions League, making 14 appearances including a fine showing in the final defeat of Juventus FC, whose forwards had little to work with. He also helped the Rossoneri lift the Coppa Italia and scored once in 29 Serie A matches.

Did you know?

Nesta was selected in the uefa.com users' Team of 2002.

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