Commentary of the era of fluttering blue shirts in world football

On May 31, 1996, the Italian under-21 youth team defeated Spain on penalties and won the European Youth Championship for the third consecutive time. This European Youth Championship is the first time that Totti and Nesta have appeared in a national team at the same time. Totti, who was wearing the No. 18 jersey at the time, scored the winning goal in the semi-final against France, and Nesta scored a penalty kick in the final. The two teenagers from Rome left an impression on people. A deep impression.

After the European Youth Championship, Nesta was immediately called up to the national team by Sacchi. Although he participated in the 1996 European Cup, he did not play a minute. On October 5, 1996, Nesta had his first chance to appear in the national team. Italy defeated Moldova 1-0 in the World Cup qualifying match. The 20-year-old started the game. With Baresi withdrawing from the national team and Bergomi declining due to age, Italy's defense needed fresh blood, so Nesta did not wait too long. At that time, Nesta was wearing the No. 2 jersey. Although the pre-match formation map indicated that he was a central defender, during the game, he appeared more often at the right back position. With his stable performance, he quickly gained the trust of the head coach. However, due to the abundance of talents in the Azzurri's forward line, Totti, who is six months younger than Nesta, is still lingering outside the door of the national team. On June 11, 1998, Italy faced Chile. Ferrara's injury allowed Nesta to stand on the World Cup stage for the first time as a starting player. Facing the Chilean strikers Salas and Zamorano, the 22-year-old Nesta showed the style of a defensive general and defused the opponent's attacks many times. Although Italy ended up tied with their opponents, his performance was recognized by the head coach and fans. However, it seems that fate dictated that Nesta was troubled by injuries when he participated in the World Series for the first time. In the third match between Italy and Austria in the group stage, Nesta fell to the ground after a collision with his opponent in the first two minutes and was carried off the field on a stretcher. The injury ended his first World Cup campaign. In the subsequent games, he could only watch the performances of his teammates on the sidelines with bandages, and also witnessed Italy's penalty kick loss to France in the quarter-finals.

Shortly after the World Cup, Zoff succeeded Cesar Maldini as the head coach of the Italian national team. After taking office, he immediately called up his favorite player in the national youth team, Totti, who has become the main striker of the Roma team, into the national team. Regarding Totti's arrival, the Italian media commented: "Now Del Piero is no longer irreplaceable." On October 10, 1998, in the European Cup qualifying match, Italy defeated Switzerland 2-0 at home. Totti got his first chance to represent Italy. He replaced Del Piero in the 70th minute and officially started his national team career. In the 2000 European Cup qualifiers, Totti repaid the trust of his coach with beautiful assists. Especially in the away game against Denmark, he passed several people on the left and then assisted Inzaghi with his left foot. Deeply impressed. At the 2000 European Cup, the two teenagers from Rome finally appeared side by side on the stage of international competitions.

Two 24-year-old Roma teenagers carry the hopes of Italian fans and regain the Delaunay Cup after 36 years. After defeating Turkey 2-1, in the second group match against Belgium, Totti opened the scoring for Italy with a header in the 6th minute. Although on April 26, 2000, before the European Cup, Italy played Portugal at home. In a friendly match, Totti scored his first goal for the national team, but this goal was his first goal in an official international game. The defense composed of Nesta and Cannavaro, who had just won the league championship trophy with Lazio, performed a perfect performance of Italy's chain defense, helping the team win 2-0. After qualifying from the group, they faced Romania in the quarter-finals. Totti's goal and Nesta's defense allowed the Azzurri to win 2-0 again and advance to the semi-finals.

The 2006 World Cup belongs to blue Italy. Totti and Nesta once again stood together for the same dream. But bad luck befell Nesta again just like in 1998 and 2002. Still injured, still in the third game of the group stage, Nesta came off the field due to injury in the 18th minute and missed all the subsequent games, which also made Materazzi's dramatic performance in this cup. Because his injury has not fully recovered, Totti, who only played the entire game against the Czech Republic in the group stage, came on as a substitute in the 75th minute of the quarter-finals. However, at the last moment, facing a penalty kick and facing Shi Waze, he withstood all pressure. A penalty that would make any goalkeeper despair sent Italy into the quarter-finals. This was Totti's first goal in the World Cup. A year later, people realized that it was also his last goal for the Italian national team. In Berlin on July 10, facing the French team that had given him a painful defeat six years ago, the 30-year-old Nesta and the soon-to-be 30-year-old Totti were no longer the protagonists on the court. At the end of the game, the scene of them kissing the Gold Cup with passion became the last scene of the two in Azzurri. At that moment, I wonder if they recalled the scene when the two lifted the European Youth Championship trophy together ten years ago.

Finally, they brought the Hercules Cup back to Rome, brought back their city, and brought a perfect end to their blue years. On July 21, 2007, Totti announced his retirement from the national team, having played 58 times and scored 9 goals; on August 1, 2007, Nesta announced his retirement from the national team, having played 78 times on behalf of the national team.