Alessandro Nesta Reveals He Turned Down Real Madrid Offer in 2002

Legendary Italian defender Alessandro Nesta has once again opened up about the moment he declined an opportunity to join Real Madrid in 2002. Despite having a glittering career with Lazio and AC Milan, the 2006 World Cup winner admitted that he could have worn the famous white shirt of Los Blancos.

In an interview with his former teammate Luca Toni on Amazon Prime Video, Nesta revealed the circumstances that led him to reject Real Madrid’s offer.

“The year I went to Milan, Real Madrid wanted to sign me, but I said no because I wanted to stay at Lazio. Then Milan called and Lazio was falling apart,” said Nesta.

At the time, Lazio was grappling with severe financial issues, which eventually forced the club to part ways with several key players. Nesta’s attachment to Lazio was evident, but the economic crisis made a transfer inevitable.

“It was difficult for me to distance myself from Rome. When I realized where I was, I rolled up my sleeves. In my first season at San Siro, we won the Champions League and the Coppa Italia,” he added.

Fernando Hierro’s Attempt to Convince Nesta

This is not the first time Nesta has spoken about Real Madrid’s interest. During an Instagram Live session in the past, the Italian legend recounted an encounter with former Real Madrid captain Fernando Hierro, who tried to persuade him to make the switch.

We once played a friendly in Spain against Real Madrid. After the match, Fernando Hierro came to me in the bus area and said, ‘You have to come to Real Madrid, what are you doing at Lazio?’” Nesta recalled.

“I told him, ‘You’re crazy, I play for Lazio.’ And he looked at me and must have thought I was crazy,” Nesta concluded with a laugh.