Alessandro Nesta
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Alessandro Nesta (born March 19, 1976 in Rome) is an Italian football player. He plays at centre-half for A.C. Milan in Serie A, and right now he is considered one of the best defenders in the world.
Sandro had a happy childhood in his quarter of Cinecitto, in the suburbs of Rome. He attends the primary school at "Margherita Bosco". In Cinecitto is where he started his career, and he was signed by Lazio at the tender age of nine. Fernando, Alessandro's older brother is advised to play sport by a doctor because of a back problem and is enrolled at the local football club. Alessandro threw a tantrum and his father gave in and he was also enrolled, and so his career began.
In 1985, he joined the youth academy of S.S. Lazio, where he rose through the ranks playing in various positions, including striker and midfielder. His international career first showed signs of development when he played for the Italian national Under-15 and Under-16 sides. In 1993, he managed to join Lazio's first-team squad.
In 1996, Nesta was a member of the Italian Under-21 team that defeated Spain to win the European Under-21 Championship, picking up the award for best defender in the tournament along the way. He made hid full international debut for Italy against Moldova on October 5, 1996. In 1997, he was given the captaincy of Lazio. It was in the 1997-98 season that Lazio won the Coppa Italia (Italian Cup), beating A.C. Milan in the final, with Nesta amongst the goal-scorers.
Just before the 2002-'03 season, Nesta joined A.C. Milan. With Milan, he has won the Scudetto Serie A (Italian Championship), Coppa Italia, Champions League and the European Super Cup.
Nesta has appeared over 60 times for the Italian national team and has been a mainstay in it since the late 1990s. He played for his country in Template:Ec, the Template:Wc, Template:Ec2, the Template:Wc, and Template:Ec2.
Nesta's fiance is Gabriela Pagnozzi (daughter of Raffaelle Pagnozzi, General Secretary of CONI). She was working for "Casa Italia" (headquarters of the Azzurri) during the 1998 World Cup. "I can say, I got the injury and her in France then. And the injury has gone, she has stayed with me." She's a specialist in economics. Sandro said that it was love from first sight. He was injured after the World Cup game against Austria. Gabriela took care of him, and this is how this love story began. He lived in Rome in a private residential area called Olgiata, near Formello, where Lazio's training center is based. Now, they live together in Milan.
He was named by Pelé as one of the top 125 greatest living footballers in March 2004.
Honours
- 1995 - Won Italian Under-21 Championship with S.S. Lazio.
- 1996 - Won European Under-21 Championship with Italy
- 1998 - Won Coppa Italia and SuperCoppa Italiana (Italian SuperCup) with S.S. Lazio
- 1999 - Won European Cup Winners' Cup and European Super Cup with S.S. Lazio
- 2000 - Won Scudetto Serie A, Coppa Italia and SuperCoppa Italiana with S.S. Lazio
- 2003 - Won Coppa Italia, Champions League and European Super Cup with A.C. Milan
- 2004 - Won Scudetto Serie A with A.C. Milande:Alessandro Nesta