Sebastiano Nela facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 13 March 1961 | ||
| Place of birth | Rapallo, Italy | ||
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Full-back, centre-back | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1978–1981 | Genoa | 70 | (6) |
| 1981–1992 | Roma | 281 | (16) |
| 1992–1994 | Napoli | 34 | (0) |
| Total | 385 | (22) | |
| International career‡ | |||
| 1981–1982 | Italy U-21 | 5 | (0) |
| 1984–1987 | Italy | 5 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 8 January 2009 |
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Sebastiano Nela (born 13 March 1961) is a former Italian football player. He was a strong and fast defender. He usually played as a full-back, which means he defended but also helped with attacks. He was known for his speed, stamina, and tough play.
Nela could play in many defensive positions. He played on both the left and right sides of the field. Sometimes, he even played in the middle as a central midfielder. He started his football journey playing in the midfield when he was younger.
He began his club career with Genoa. Later, he moved to Roma, where he played for most of his career. With Roma, he won a Serie A title and three Coppa Italia titles. He stopped playing football in 1994 after two seasons with Napoli. Sebastiano Nela also played for the Italy national football team five times between 1984 and 1987. He was part of the team for the 1986 FIFA World Cup and the 1984 Olympics. He is also a special member of the A.S. Roma Hall of Fame.
Contents
Playing for Clubs
Sebastiano Nela was a determined and hard-working defender. He started his football career with the club Genoa.
Joining Roma
A top Italian league team, Roma, bought Nela. He played his first game for Roma on 13 September 1981. It was a 0–0 draw against Avellino. Nela played in 28 games for Roma when they won the Scudetto in 1983. The Scudetto is the trophy for winning the Serie A league.
Overcoming Injury
In 1987, Nela had a serious knee injury. This meant he had to miss almost a year of playing football. A famous Italian singer, Antonello Venditti, wrote a song called "Correndo correndo" for Nela. This song was on his 1988 album, In questo mondo di ladri.
Moving to Napoli and Retirement
Nela left Roma in 1992. By then, he had won the Scudetto and three Italian Cups with the club. He then joined Napoli. He played his last season in 1993–94. Overall, he played in 315 Serie A games during his career.
Playing for Italy
Nela's great performances for Roma helped him get called up to the Italian national team. He played his first game for Italy against West Germany on 22 May 1984.
He played a total of five games for the Italian national team between 1984 and 1987. Nela was part of the Italian team for the 1986 FIFA World Cup. However, he did not play in any matches during that tournament. Italy was knocked out in the Round of 16. He also played in three games at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. He helped Italy finish in fourth place in that competition.
After His Playing Career
After he stopped playing football, Sebastiano Nela started working as a commentator. He has worked for different TV channels. Currently, he works for Mediaset Premium, talking about football matches.
Achievements and Awards
Sebastiano Nela achieved many great things during his football career.
Team Honours
Roma
- Serie A: 1982–83 (This is the top Italian football league title)
- Coppa Italia: 1983–84, 1985–86, 1990–91 (This is Italy's main cup competition)
Individual Awards
- Serie A Team of The Year: 1983 (He was chosen as one of the best players in the league)
- A.S. Roma Hall of Fame: 2013 (He was honored by his former club, Roma)
See also
In Spanish: Sebastiano Nela para niños
