Alessandro Nesta: A tribute to a defensive marvel

Since making the move to Montreal Impact last year, Alessandro Nesta may have stepped out of the spotlight of European football, but he has one last chance to be remembered now, after the Italian international defender announced he was to hang up his boots at the end of the current MLS season with the Canadian side.

In a 20-year career at the top of Italian football, it is hard to argue that the now 37-year-old centre-back has earned anything less than legendary status, to go with his 78 Italy caps and 600 league games in Italy and America. Wherever he went, he won titles, including football’s biggest prize, the World Cup, in 2006. He won league titles with Lazio and AC Milan, along with continental trophies to boot.

He started out with Rome side Lazio in 1993, and stayed with Le Aquile for nine years, winning a Serie A crown in 2000, along with European glory in the late-90s. After the club hit financial trouble in 2002, he was sold, along with many other star players, and joined up with giants AC Milan, the club with whom he would enjoy the most success.

In his 10 years with i RossonneriI, he won two league titles, two Champions League trophies, and even a World Club Cup medal in 2007, crowning Milan as the best side in the world (for that year, at least).

He left the Italian club at the end of their 2011-12 campaign, and joined Montreal for the twilight years of his career. He helped them to a Canadian championship, and enjoyed his spell in Canada, but has finally started to feel two decades of football take an effect on his body, and has decided to end his career on a high note.

He joins a list of names such as Paul Scholes and David Beckham who have ended their career in 2013, and is another legend of the game who will be sorely missed.

Long Live, Alessandro.