One of the modern era’s greatest defenders offers his views on football today and his amazing career.
Italy has a tradition of producing world-class defenders who simply love defending and Alessandro Nesta’s name sits easily alongside Maldini, Costacurta, Baresi and many more.
Now 39, Nesta hung up his boots in 2014 after a glittering career that included two decades in Italy with Lazio and AC Milan, spells in MLS and the Indian Super League and 78 caps for the Italian national side, capped off with a winner’s medal from the 2006 World Cup.
Last night, he was in Romania and took over the Heineken Twitter account during Barcelona’s epic Champions League semi-final clash with Bayern Munich.
As well as offering his thoughts on the game itself and, inevitably, the genius of Lionel Messi, he fielded questions about a range of topics from beards to defending, the best striker he’s ever played against and of course, those epic PlayStation battles with Andea Pirlo.
Have a look at some of the best responses below.
This is not a trick. Nesta pulled out all the stops to see the game. #ChampionTheMatch #FCBFCB #UCLhttps://t.co/c8IrXAZCes
— Heineken (@Heineken) May 6, 2015
.@ArsenalTerje Brazilian Ronaldo. The best in history if you ask me. #ChampionTheMatch #UCL #FCBFCB
— Heineken (@Heineken) May 6, 2015
‘I always wanted to be a striker. But then I grew too tall and the coach put me on defense… the rest is history.’ ^AN #ChampionTheMatch #UCL
— Heineken (@Heineken) May 6, 2015
‘Tip for playing perfect defense – don’t lose a second of concentration. You have to be fully focused every second.^AN #ChampionTheMatch
— Heineken (@Heineken) May 6, 2015
.@Tyronbarnard @Heineken_SA Shared the same room with Pirlo for 9 yrs. We played Barca – Barca all those yrs. (1/2) #ChampionTheMatch
— Heineken (@Heineken) May 6, 2015
.@Tyronbarnard @Heineken_SA Toughest Playstation player I've played! (2/2) #ChampionTheMatch #UCL #FCBFCB
— Heineken (@Heineken) May 6, 2015
'This game just decided the Golden Ball winner. Messi, clearly.' ^AN #ChampionTheMatch #UCL #FCBFCB
— Heineken (@Heineken) May 6, 2015
Allesandro was so busy tweeting, in fact, that he didn’t get around to answering some of these great questions from Irish Twitter users.
@Heineken_IE You came up against Roy Keane in the Champions' League in 2005, did he leave a lasting impression? @Heineken #ChampionTheMatch
— JOE.ie (@JOEdotie) May 6, 2015
You’ve played against Roy Keane and Robbie Keane. Could you understand what either one was saying? @Heineken_IE @Heineken #ChampionTheMatch
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) May 6, 2015
@Heineken Alessandro, of the defenders left in this year's Champions League, who would you have liked to play beside? #ChampionTheMatch
— Dodge (@seidodge) May 6, 2015
@Heineken Alessandro, between #BarcaBayern which of these two sides would you have liked to have played for? #ChampionTheMatch
— Colman (@chanley1989) May 6, 2015
https://twitter.com/Fadqueen/status/596025317577326592
https://twitter.com/HesTheSportsguy/status/596025641809670144
@Heineken Alessandro, having played under Carlo Ancelotti – how much would he have enjoyed last night's win over Juve? #ChampionTheMatch
— Cian Murtagh (@cianmnews) May 6, 2015
Join Heineken’s UEFA Champion’s League conversation with #ChampionTheMatch
