Alessandro Nesta facts for kids
Nesta with Miami FC in 2016
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 19 March 1976 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Rome, Italy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.87 m | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Centre back, right-back | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1985–1993 | Lazio | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–2002 | Lazio | 193 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2012 | AC Milan | 224 | (7) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2014 | Montreal Impact | 31 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014 | Chennaiyin | 3 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 451 | (8) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1996 | Italy U21 | 9 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–2006 | Italy | 78 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Teams managed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2017 | Miami FC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | Perugia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2021 | Frosinone | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023–2024 | Reggiana | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | Monza | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Honours
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alessandro Nesta (born 19 March 1976) is a famous Italian football coach and former player. He played as a centre-back. Many people think he is one of the best defenders ever. He was known for his speed, amazing tackles, and elegant way of playing. He was also great at passing the ball and marking opponents closely.
Nesta played over 400 games in Serie A, Italy's top football league. He spent 20 years playing for Lazio and AC Milan. With both clubs, he won many awards in Italy and Europe. Later, he played in the Major League Soccer (MLS) for the Montreal Impact. He also played for Chennaiyin in the Indian Super League. Nesta won the Serie A Defender of the Year award four times. He was also chosen for the annual UEFA Team of the Year four times. In 2004, he was named one of the Top 100 greatest living footballers. In 2021, he joined the Italian Football Hall of Fame.
Nesta was part of the Italian national team for ten years. He played 78 games for his country. He played in the 1996 Olympics, three UEFA European Championships, and three FIFA World Cups. Nesta was a key player when Italy won the 2006 World Cup. He also helped Italy reach the final of Euro 2000.
Contents
Nesta's Club Journey
Early Days at Lazio
A scout for Roma first noticed Nesta. But his father, a big fan of Lazio, said no to the offer. Nesta started playing for Lazio's youth team in 1985. He played in different positions, like striker and midfielder, before becoming a defender. In the 1993–94 season, he joined the first team. On 13 March 1994, he played his first game against Udinese.
He became the team captain in 1997. He helped Lazio win the 1998 Coppa Italia against AC Milan. He even scored a goal in the final. That season, Lazio also reached the UEFA Cup Final. They lost to Inter Milan. Nesta won the Serie A Young Footballer of the Year Award in 1998.
The next year, he was out for half the season due to injuries. He returned in December and led Lazio in the title race. They lost the league by just one point. But he did win two international trophies: the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and the European Super Cup.
In the 1999–2000 season, he led Lazio to win the Scudetto (Italian league title) and the Coppa Italia. This meant they won the double. In the 2000–01 season, Lazio won the Supercoppa Italiana. Nesta's great play earned him three Serie A Defender of the Year awards in a row. Lazio faced money problems, so Nesta was sold to Milan in 2002. He is still seen as one of Lazio's best defenders ever.
Success with AC Milan
Before the 2002–03 season, Lazio had to sell many top players. Nesta moved to Milan for a lot of money. At Milan, he played alongside other great defenders like Paolo Maldini and Cafu. His first two seasons with Milan were very successful. In the 2002–03 season, he won the Champions League. Milan beat Juventus in an all-Italian final. Nesta helped Milan keep a clean sheet, and he scored in the penalty shootout. He also won the Coppa Italia that season. He won the Serie A Defender of the Year award again and was chosen for the UEFA Team of the Year.
The next season, Milan won the European Super Cup. Nesta also won his second Scudetto (league title). Milan set a record for points in a Serie A season. Nesta was again chosen for the UEFA Team of the Year.
In the 2004–05 AC Milan season, Milan reached the Champions League final. They lost to Liverpool on penalties. Nesta was chosen for the FIFPro World XI team for his great play.
Nesta missed most of the 2006–07 season due to a shoulder injury. But he played a key role in Milan reaching the 2007 Champions League final. Milan beat Liverpool 2–1, getting revenge for their 2005 loss. Nesta was chosen for both the UEFA Team of the Year and the FIFPro World XI.
In August 2007, Nesta won his third European Super Cup. He scored his first goal for Milan since 2006. He also scored an important goal in the FIFA Club World Cup final. Milan won the trophy.
Serious back injuries kept Nesta out for the entire 2008–09 season. Many wondered if he would play again. But he recovered and returned for the last game of the season.
The next season, Nesta scored two goals in one game for Milan. He became a regular starter again and played very well. He formed a strong defensive pair with Thiago Silva. They helped Milan win the Serie A title. Nesta was chosen for the Serie A Team of the Year. He decided to play one more season before retiring.
Nesta started his final season with Milan by winning the 2011 Supercoppa Italiana. On 10 May, he announced he would retire from Serie A. In his ten seasons at Milan, Nesta played 325 games and scored 10 goals. He won two Serie A titles, one Coppa Italia, two Supercoppa Italiana, two Champions Leagues, two UEFA Super Cups, and one FIFA Club World Cup.
Playing in North America
On 5 July 2012, Nesta signed with the Montreal Impact in Major League Soccer (MLS). He signed an 18-month contract for free. He played his first game for the Impact in a friendly match. Three days later, he made his first official appearance. In 2013, Nesta won his only title with Montreal Impact: the Canadian Championship.
On 20 October 2013, Nesta said he would retire after the 2013 MLS Cup Playoffs. He played for the Impact for almost two seasons.
Final Stop in India
On 28 November 2014, Nesta signed with Chennaiyin FC in the Indian Super League. He joined for the rest of the 2014 season. His former teammate Marco Materazzi signed him. He played his first game on 9 December.
Playing for Italy
Youth Team Success
Nesta started his career playing for Italy's youth teams. He was part of the under-21 squad that won the 1996 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. In the final, he scored a penalty in the shootout. A few months later, he was chosen for Italy's UEFA Euro 1996 squad. He did not play in that tournament. Later that year, he played in the Summer Olympics.
Representing the Senior Team
First Matches for Italy
On 5 October 1996, Nesta played his first game for the Italy national football team. It was a World Cup qualifier against Moldova. At the 1998 World Cup, Nesta played in all three group games. He helped Italy keep a clean sheet against Cameroon. But he got injured and could not play in later games. Italy was knocked out by France.
Euro 2000 Adventure
Nesta played a key role in Italy's defense during Euro 2000. He played alongside Paolo Maldini and Fabio Cannavaro. Italy only let in two goals before the final. They kept three clean sheets. In the semi-final, Italy beat the Netherlands in a penalty shootout. Italy reached the final against France. Italy was leading until the last minute, but France scored. France then won with a "golden goal" in extra time. Nesta was chosen for the team of the tournament.
World Cup 2002
After Euro 2000, Nesta remained a top defender for Italy. He played many games in the 2002 World Cup qualifiers. At the 2002 World Cup, he played with Fabio Cannavaro. They kept a clean sheet in the first game. But Nesta got injured again and could not play in the second round. Italy lost to South Korea. Nesta played well in the Euro 2004 qualifiers. But Italy was knocked out in the first round of Euro 2004. Nesta played all three group games without injury.
World Cup 2006 and Retirement
Nesta was still a starter for Italy in the 2006 World Cup. He helped Italy keep a clean sheet in their first win. But he got injured in the last group game. This meant he could not play for the rest of the tournament. Italy went on to win the World Cup without him. After the World Cup, Nesta played one more game for Italy. But ongoing injuries forced him to retire from the national team. He played 78 games for Italy in total.
Life as a Coach
Coaching in Miami
On 31 August 2015, Nesta became the first head coach of Miami FC. The team started playing in April 2016. In his first season, Miami FC finished 7th. In his second season, they finished first. But they lost in the playoffs. He resigned as coach on 17 November 2017.
Coaching Perugia
On 14 May 2018, Nesta became the manager of Perugia. After a playoff loss, Nesta left Perugia on 21 May 2019.
Leading Frosinone
On 17 June 2019, Nesta became the manager of Frosinone. The team finished 8th in the league. They lost the playoff final. Nesta was sacked on 22 March 2021.
Time with Reggiana
On 13 June 2023, Nesta became the manager of Reggiana. His team finished 11th in the league.
Coaching Monza
On 12 June 2024, Monza announced Nesta as their new head coach. He replaced Raffaele Palladino. Nesta missed his first game due to a suspension. He debuted on 24 August with a loss. On 23 December 2024, Nesta was removed from his coaching job. This happened after three losses in a row. Monza was at the bottom of the league table.
How Nesta Played Football
Nesta was a complete and strong defender. He was very important for both his clubs and the national team. Experts say he is one of the greatest defenders of all time. He was strong and athletic, but also very agile and graceful. He had great balance, ball skills, and vision. He could bring the ball out of defense and start attacks. These skills made people compare him to Franco Baresi.
Nesta usually played as a centre-back. But he started as a right-sided full back. His skills and athleticism made him able to play anywhere in defense. He was also excellent in the air and very fast for a centre-back.
Besides his skills, Nesta was very smart on the field. He could read the game well and stop opponents' attacks. This helped him play at a high level even when he got older. He was known for his amazing sliding tackles and clearing the ball. He was also good at timing his challenges. However, Nesta's career was affected by many injuries. These injuries stopped him from playing in the important knockout stages of the World Cups.
Nesta's Family Life
On 7 May 2007, Nesta married his fiancée, Gabriela Pagnozzi. Gabriela worked for the Italian national team during the 1998 World Cup. Their relationship started when she helped him after an injury. Nesta said, "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 19 October 2006. Their son, Tommaso, was born on 20 March 2008. His nephew Gian Marco Nesta is also a professional footballer.
Nesta in Media and Games
Nesta appeared in the 1998 Italian film Paparazzi. He was also on the cover of the Italian video game This is Football 2002. Nesta is a "Legend" or "Icon" player in EA Sports' FIFA football video game series. He has been in the game since FIFA 16.
Trophies and Awards
Player
Lazio
- Serie A: 1999–2000
- Coppa Italia: 1997–98, 1999–2000
- Supercoppa Italiana: 2000
- UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1998–99
- UEFA Super Cup: 1999
AC Milan
- Serie A: 2003–04, 2010–11
- Coppa Italia: 2002–03
- Supercoppa Italiana: 2004, 2011
- UEFA Champions League: 2002–03, 2006–07
- UEFA Super Cup: 2003, 2007
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2007
Montreal Impact
- Canadian Championship: 2013
Italy U-21
Italy
- FIFA World Cup: 2006
- UEFA European Championship runner-up: 2000
Individual
- Serie A Young Footballer of the Year: 1998
- Serie A Defender of the Year: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003
- Serie A Team of the Year: 2010–11
- UEFA Euro Team of the Tournament: 2000
- UEFA Team of the Year: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007
- ESM Team of the Year: 2000–01
- Onze de Onze: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004
- FIFPro World XI: 2005, 2007
- FIFA 100
- UEFA Golden Jubilee Poll: No. 47
- AC Milan Hall of Fame
- All-time UEFA European Under-21 Championship dream team: 2015
- UEFA Ultimate Team of the Year (published 2015)
- Italian Football Hall of Fame: 2021
Orders
-
5th Class / Knight: Cavaliere Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana: 2000
-
4th Class / Officer: Ufficiale Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana: 2006
-
CONI: Golden Collar of Sports Merit: 2006
Manager
Miami
- North American Soccer League: 2017 Spring/Fall champions
Images for kids
-
Nesta pursuing Sherjill MacDonald of the Chicago Fire in September 2012
See also
In Spanish: Alessandro Nesta para niños
