sports champions players: alessandro nesta pictures and biography

Alessandro Nesta Biography – Preview - Italian soccer players are widely recognized as having the best tactical knowledge and defensive prowess in the World and Nesta is the perfect example to build a proof upon.
Together with 2006's World Player of the Year, Fabio Cannavaro, Nesta held the pressure of an Italian national squad's defense that would win them the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Even if winning this World Cup was his career's main highlight, there's much more to talk about in our Alessandro Nesta biography.
Alessandro Nesta Biography – SS Lazio Youth
If you're born in Rome, there are two ways you can go soccer-wise: SS Lazio or AS Roma. Born in a family of Lazio supporters, young Alessandro Nesta was encouraged by his father to stay in school rather than take up soccer.

When his older brother was diagnosed with some back problems and advised to play a sport, the head of the Nesta family sent his older sibling to play in the youth squad of Lazio.
Young Alessandro took this opportunity to convince his father to allow him to play soccer as well and after several crying sessions, his father gave in and let the 9-year old follow his older brother to soccer practice. Nesta quickly made a name for himself adapting to any position his coaches would play him in, including those of a striker or playmaker. He even managed to get selected for the Italian national youth teams, being selected for the Under-15, Under-16 and Under-17 squads in the following years.
When he was 17, Nesta was close to signing a contract with town-rivals AS Roma, but his father turned down the offer. His father's decision would not hinder him to become a professional footballer though, as he was quickly signed on for Lazio's first squad.Alessandro Nesta – SS Lazio First Team
Although not getting any games in his first season with the senior squad, Nesta came to the attention of the fans and press through a negative incident that had him breaking Paul Gascoigne's leg in a training session.
It was a blow that hurt his career as much as it threatened Gascoigne's career, but he eventually overcame the moment and soon earned a starting lineup position for Lazio. In two remarkable seasons with the club and the Under-21 Italy squad, Nesta was given captaincy of his team, becoming one of the youngest captains in Italian soccer.