Nesta - impressive at Euro 2000. (Allsport)

Position: Defender
Born: 19.03.76
Club: Lazio

Like his national teammate Fabio Cannavaro, Alessandro Nesta made his name in the 2000 European Championships.

The tournament marked the arrival of Lazio's star defender, as the Rome-born Nesta turned in some star performances.

A Lazio fan as a child, Nesta worked his way through the junior ranks at the club before making his Serie A debut against Udinese just days before his 18th birthday.

But it was in the 1994/95 season that Nesta really nailed down a permanent place in the first team, a year after being part of the Italian Under 21 national team that won the European title.

Although Nesta was part of Italy's European Championship squad in 1996 he didn't play in any of the games, and his international debut came a few months later in Moldova.

Such is Nesta's importance to his beloved club that there were reports Lazio chairman Sergio Cragnotti had offered his skipper a lucrative contract in order to convince him not to sign for Real Madrid, with suggestions Nesta would get a contract that expired in 2007, with the possibility for the player to extend it another three seasons.

Nesta will be just 26 by the time of the 2002 World Cup, and he can be a part of the youthful Italian backline for some considerable time.