La Nazionale perde anche Alessandro Nesta. A nemmeno due settimane dall'addio di Francesco Totti, un altro campione del mondo rinuncia alla maglia azzurra. Il 31enne difensore del Milan ha annunciato la sua decisione, data quasi per certa da già da tempo, con una conferenza stampa a Milanello. Il centrale rossonero, che nella scorsa stagione è stato a lungo assente per un infortunio alla spalla, ha spiegato che la scelta è stata determinata soprattutto da problemi fisici. "Finisce qui la mia avventura con la maglia azzurra", ha detto. "Giocare in Nazionale è stata la cosa più bella: mi dispiace tantissimo lasciarla, ma fisicamente non posso più giocare tante partite: ho bisogno di più relax". Nesta ha anche parlato della sua rinuncia all'ultima convocazione a causa del matrimonio, una vicenda che aveva sollevato qualche polemica. "Quando mi sono sposato, ho saltato una partita della Nazionale perché sapevo che la mia avventura in azzurro era già finita: altrimenti mi sarei sposato dopo", ha spiegato. Il centrale del Milan ha poi smentito di aver avuto un rapporto difficile con il ct azzurro Roberto Donadoni. "Con lui non ho avuto problemi", ha assicurato."E' stato il primo che ho informato una volta presa la decisione". Il difensore ha comunque lasciato aperto un piccolo spiraglio per il futuro. "Per adesso è così, un domani chissà", ha detto a chi gli chiedeva se un suo ripensamento era possibile. "Magari fra tre anni... se riesco ancora, se ce la farò, potrei provare a togliermi l'ultima soddisfazione in azzurro nei Mondiali". Nella sua carriera Alessandro Nesta ha collezionato 78 presenze in Nazionale. Con la maglia dell'Italia ha conquistato il titolo di campione del mondo nel 2006 e di vicecampione d'Europa nel 2000. Nel 1996, con l'Under 21, ha vinto i campionati europei di categoria. La sua esperienza in azzurro è stata però anche costellata da numerosi infortuni, che spesso gli hanno impedito di giocare partite importanti. La sua ultima apparizione risale all'ottobre 2006, per il doppio impegno nelle qualificazioni di Euro 2008. Con l'Ucraina a Roma è rimasto in panchina, poi contro la Georgia a Tbilisi ha giocato la sua ultima partita con la Nazionale. L'addio di Nesta creerà probabilmente più problemi a Donadoni rispetto a quello di Francesco Totti. Mentre gli attaccanti a sua disposizione sono molti, in difesa la situazione è diversa. Le alternative alla coppia titolare Cannavaro-Materazzi, entrambi ultratrentenni, sono meno numerose: a parte Barzagli, il tecnico dovrà puntare sui giovani. http://www.repubblica.it/
This sucks. Couldn't care less about Totti, but Nesta is a champion, best defender in the world imho, and he'll be missed a lot. Italy's gonna have big problems in defence after 2008. We failed to produce great defenders in the last 10 years, only good prospect is Criscito, but I don't think he's on the level of Baresi, Maldini, Nesta, Cannavaro.....let's hope in some late bloomer..... btw, Nesta says only chance he could be back is to play world cup 2010, as the last great tournament of his career....I really hope figc makes it clear that retirement is for good and no come-back is possible.
I think we have a couple good prospects. Andreolli and Chiellini are also very good. And I have no qualms with Zaccardo either. After all, aside his own goal against the USA, he's a good defender by my book. We have a lot of youngsters - apparently the time is now to use them. I'm sure if we give them a chance they'll fit in the shoes they're called to step into. Look at Materazzi..... And for the time being we still have Barzagli as a valid alternative. He's great. But I agree - Nesta's retirement is a hard, hard blow. But, hey, we'll move on. I think we'll be amazed at ourselves by how good our young defenders will be.
Italy has done just fine without Nesta and will continue to do so. It's not a huge loss like some are making it out to be.
Farewell Nesta, and thanks for the memories!! As for the other stuff, we'll be just fine. Criscito, Andreolli, Barzagli (who I really rate), Chiellini, Bovo ... we turn out defenders like a factory, and we will keep doing so. Give the kids a chance to develop.
Yeah, we're fine for the time being. I have yet to see a tandem at the international level that is better than Cannavaro/Materazzi, irrespective of their age. Also, we have some great options at fullback, e.g., Zambotta, Oddo, Grosso. Barzagli will be able to fill in once his time comes and we will produce another great central defender in short time.
This Nesta retirement could be a blessing in disguise - now Donadoni is basically forced to turn to the younger generation, and to test out new possible defenders (after all, it's not like we could have depended on Materazzi and Cannavaro until 2010). I am grateful to Nesta for his services and his loyalty. He's been excellent, - however, we can move on. We won the World Cup without him, we've reached second place in our qualifiers without him.... We can do this. -Bonera -Barzagli -Chiellini -Criscito -Andreolli -Bovo -Gamberini -Zaccardo (I tell you, I have faith in him) etc....etc... (PS - I know that not all are central defenders) But my point is I don't see the defensive shortage that everyone's been talking about. We have tons, we just have to go out and use them. I think they've been appearing more difficult to spot for the sole purpose that they don't score goals. When we don't see them score, we do not pay as much attention. But I think we'll be fine. I wonder if that's why Donadoni has been hypothetically talking about a three-man defense... Regardless, we'll do fine. Remember the Materazzi story, people.
This sucks. I still don't understand his decision though. Why retire all of a sudden, especially after Milan just won the CL.
He's saying he can't handle the load of playing for both Italy & Milan. He made his debut with the Azzurri about 10 years ago, so he's had a very good career with them. IMO, he could play until the next WC... but that's not our decision to make. He has had many injury problems.
I know! But Milan to Nesta isn't like Roma to Totti. I thought the soft spot of Nesta has always been Lazio. And it's not like Milan's in crisis or sth that he has to quit the nationalze to serve the club better.
My point exactly. I will never take away from nesta how awesome a player he has been throughout his career. But lets face it, just like Totti the bulk of his success has been at the club level, and not so much at the international level. He's been injured for practically every single major tournament (the last 3 world cups to be exact), and he even missed the last match from Euro 2004. Granted, had he been healthy he would've been stellar, but that wasn't the case unfortunately now was it. Sad to see him go, but it is definitely a loss we'll be able to cope with. Now it's time for Barzagli to take the helm!
Why is it people have such a hard time understanding? It's cause of INJURIES! Totti said the same thing and people had a hard time registering that maybe at 31 years of age these guys just aren't physically capable of competing the way they once could. Give Nesta the benefit of the doubt and move on is what I say!
The central defenders have been Cannavaro-Materazzi for 1 year now. Then there's Barzagli who can sub either too. We got central defence covered, but i admit we have more depth on the wings
People seem to keep forgetting that Daniele Bonera is only 26 years old and is a more than capable central defender. Plus we got young Chiellini who can play central defence as good as he can play full back, if not BETTER! We'll be covered on defence for quite some time my friends, so no reason to panic.
Why is it people have such a hard time understanding? It's cause of INJURIES! Totti said the same thing and people had a hard time registering that maybe at 31 years of age these guys just aren't physically capable of competing the way they once could. Give Nesta the benefit of the doubt and move on is what I say! I know that Nesta and Totti are injured,and they still play and i repect that.But when Totti said I WILL JUST play THE IMPORTANT GAMES then i lost intrest as a player,Every game is IMPORTANT GAME especially the EURO CUP.
This is very sad, but a long time coming. When Nesta is fit, he's one of the best central defenders in the world. Still. But he's wound up injured in major tournaments for years. He's young still, but the injuries can't be ignored. I'm hoping that he can regain his fitness and form with Milan. Who knows? Sometimes players "unretire" in the future... People have mentioned a lot of names, but unfortunately none have the experience and understanding (as in partnership) that's needed to step right in. But some of them (imo Barzagli/Bonera) are at a good point to begin having a more central role. Materazzi has had a wonder year, but let's not forget his ability to draw cards and his age.
I think one of the influences on Nesta's decision to retire from the Azzurri is Maldini. Paolo retired from the Azzurri for the same reasons at 34. From 2000-2002 he was starting to get fatigued from all the games he played for Milan and Italy. At that point I thought he had maybe 1 or 2 years left in him. But retiring from the Azzurri gave him a new lease on life. And it probably added 3 or 4 years to his career. The same goes for Nesta. There comes a point in a player's career where they need an extra three days to recover from a match. If he keeps playing for Italy he won't get the rest he desperately needs. But don't count out a return for Nesta to the Azzurri. If things go wrong for Italy before 2010 don't be surprised if Nesta comes back just in time to play in South Africa.
he never missed the last match in euro 2004, that was cannavaro. Nesta was awesome in that tournament and in 2000 aswell. I'm sure he could last 1 more year to Euro 2008. I just dont like the idea of having two 34 year olds at CB. Nesta and Cannavaro compliment eachother perfectly.
yeah, the thing is he has always played well for the azzurri, it was just he was hurt at the three world cups, but at the euros and in the games he did play in at the world cup, like the usa game in 2006, he always played well. he is when healthy, still for my money, the best defender in the world. yeah, yeah, rossoneri glasses, I know, but i really believe that. good news for milan, bad news for the azzurri. not that the azzurri can't qualify or play well (or say win a world cup ) without him, but once cannavaro and materazzi are gone, nesta and barzagli in 2010 sounds a lot better than barzagli--bonera/zaccardo/chiellini/gamberini/bovo/dainelli et al other than chiellini if he contnues developing, and maybe bovo cause i really liked him before he got hurt but that is a long shot, those others are solid backups at best for most azzurri teams, not guys to which i entrust a world cup campaign versus other top nations. maybe some of them might surprise and really have a great couple of years and prove me wrong, but i just don't see it at this stage.
actually it was Nesta's poor concentration that cost us that equalizing goal in the Euro 2000 final.... but this isnt a 'lets pay out on Nesta' thread ....... Nesta is one of the great players of all time, he'll make many 'all time great' teams in the future... his ability to read the play and his agility go hand in hand with his physical presance and organisation of his team-mates. his retirement from gli Azzurri is the right decision based on his fittness.... as mentioned earlier, he was injured in all 3 world cups he participated in, lifting the world cup trophy must have been bitter sweet for him. we have so many young talent who will guard the Azzurri box for years to come, so dont dispare, long after Cannavaro and Materazzi retire, we'll still be in good hands.... but Nesta will always be missed. adio Alessandro
you know people always say that, as if that one "bad" (it wasn't even really that bad) takes away from a great tourney. I don't think so, and even if so, one mistake and the rest excellent is pretty good. when balls get kicked high and long near the box, and the opponents have a good aerial presence, stuff can happen, but maybe i'll look at it again, it has been a while. regardless, he will be missed.
Not true. Iuliano and Cannavaro both made bad clearances that resulted in Wiltord through on goal. I don't see how you can blame that on Nesta. Cannavaro also gifted France the winning goal in extra time so lets not go down that road. Nesta has been Italy's best defender the last 10 years. Trust me, the Azzurri will miss him.