Alessandro Nesta admits he wanted Inter move before joining AC Milan in 2002

Updated: 23 Nov, 2025 • 0 • min read

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Alessandro Nesta admits he wanted Inter move before joining AC Milan in 2002

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Italian football icon Alessandro Nesta has admitted that his move from Lazio to AC Milan in 2002 was not his first choice, revealing he initially wanted to join Inter Milan and even turned down an earlier offer from Juventus.

Speaking on Gianluca Gazzoli's BSMT Podcast, the former Italy defender reflected on the chaotic summer that saw him leave his boyhood club amid Lazio's financial crisis under then-president Sergio Cragnotti.

The first six months I was terrible because I didn't want to be at Milan. I missed everything, I missed Rome. We Romans are like that, we're closed.

Think about it - a few months earlier there was Juve, but I didn't want to go there, to be honest. Then that move collapsed, and I was supposed to go to Inter.

Inter Collapse Changed Everything

The summer of 2002 remains one of Serie A's most dramatic - shaped by the aftermath of the World Cup and Inter's infamous May 5th title collapse, which handed Juventus the Scudetto.

After May 5, Inter disappeared for me.

I didn't want to go to Milan because I thought Inter would win the following year - I was sure of it. Instead, we won the Champions League in my first season.

Despite his initial reluctance, Nesta quickly became a pillar of Carlo Ancelotti's Milan side, forming a legendary partnership with Paolo Maldini and winning two Champions League titles, two Scudetti, and multiple domestic cups during his decade at San Siro.

Rejected Real Madrid Before Leaving Lazio

Nesta also revealed that Real Madrid had tried to lure him to Spain a year earlier after a friendly between Lazio and Los Blancos.

The year before I joined Milan, Real Madrid called me after a friendly against them.

A player told me I should come and play for them. I told him I played for Lazio, and he thought I was an idiot.

The following year, however, I was forced to leave. We hadn't received a salary for eight months.

A Legendary Career with a Difficult End

Nesta's switch to Milan ultimately defined his career.

The Rossoneri won the 2003 Champions League in his first season, beating Juventus on penalties, and he went on to make over 300 appearances for the club before leaving Serie A in 2012.

Whilst his playing days were filled with silverware and acclaim, Nesta's coaching career has been less successful.

His stint at Monza in 2024 was particularly tough as the club won just one of their first 17 Serie A matches before he was dismissed and later reinstated.

Despite his return, Monza were relegated, and Paolo Bianco has since taken over for the 2025/26 season.

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