Nesta calls time on Azzurri career

Alessandro Nesta announced his retirement from international football at the age of 31 on Wednesday. "I'm not going to play for Italy anymore," said the AC Milan centre-back. "My adventure in blue finishes here."

Totti precedent
Nesta’s decision comes less than two weeks after AS Roma talisman Francesco Totti did the same, the defender having won 78 caps. Nesta starred for Cesare Maldini's UEFA European Under-21 Championship-winning Azzurini in 1996 before winning a late call-up to the senior squad for EURO '96™. Nesta appeared in two further UEFA European Championships, including the final in 2000, and three FIFA World Cups, but did not feature in the 2006 final defeat of France having injured his groin in a group game against the Czech Republic.

Honours
Born in Rome, Nesta spent eight seasons at S.S. Lazio prior to a move to Milan where he added a scudetto to that won with the Biancocelesti, and UEFA Champions League crowns in 2003 and 2007 – the latter triumph coming after a shoulder injury had limited him to just 14 appearances in Serie A. His final outing for his country was the 3-1 UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifying victory against Georgia in October. Italy are second in Group B, and face vital September fixtures against France and Ukraine.