Italy Legend Nesta Punished Son for Supporting Chelsea

Mason Mount is his son's 'absolute idol', despite Nesta's World Cup and Champions League pedigree.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 9:38am

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting the abstract shapes and colors of a soccer match, with the ball as the central focus, representing the clash between an Italian soccer legend and his son's Premier League allegiance.A cubist interpretation of the generational divide in soccer fandom, as a legendary Italian defender struggles to accept his son's devotion to a Premier League club.Today in Miami

Legendary Italian defender Alessandro Nesta revealed that he even grounded his son for supporting Chelsea, with the young fan idolizing Blues midfielder Mason Mount. Nesta, a 2006 World Cup winner and two-time Champions League champion with AC Milan, said his son grew up in the US and became a huge Chelsea supporter, much to his father's chagrin.

Why it matters

The story provides an amusing anecdote about the generational divide in soccer fandom, with a legendary Italian player struggling to accept his son's devotion to a Premier League club rather than his father's former teams. It also highlights the global reach of the Premier League and the popularity of specific players like Mason Mount among young fans.

The details

Nesta said his son, who was raised in the US, is a huge Chelsea supporter, to the point that it 'actually gets' to the former defender. When Nesta was working for a TV network covering a Champions League match between Milan and Chelsea, his son wanted to come along and even had Mount as the wallpaper on his phone. Nesta revealed he had even grounded his son in the past for supporting Chelsea.

  • Nesta retired from professional soccer in 2014 after playing for Montreal Impact and Chennaiyin FC.
  • Nesta said this incident happened 'three or four years ago' when he was working for a TV network covering Milan in the Champions League.

The players

Alessandro Nesta

A legendary Italian defender who won the 2006 World Cup and two UEFA Champions League titles with AC Milan. He played 417 Serie A matches over his career and also won three Scudetti, a Club World Cup, three UEFA Super Cups, and a UEFA U21 European Championship.

Mason Mount

An English midfielder who currently plays for Manchester United, having joined the club in 2023 from Chelsea, where he was a fan favorite.

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What they’re saying

“I even grounded him! My kids grew up in the USA, and over there they watch the Premier League.”

— Alessandro Nesta, Former Italian Defender

“When I was not coaching three or four years ago, I worked for Prime, covering Milan in the Champions League. My son called me and said, 'If Chelsea-Milan comes up, I'll come with you.' Of course, that's exactly the matchup that happened.”

— Alessandro Nesta, Former Italian Defender

“The day before the game, I interviewed Thiago Silva, and my son wanted to come with me. On his phone screen, he has Mason Mount, his absolute idol. I told Thiago, so he went inside, called Mount, and he came out to hug my son, who was about to cry.”

— Alessandro Nesta, Former Italian Defender

What’s next

Nesta's son is set to travel from Miami to London for three days to watch a Chelsea match as an 18th birthday gift.

The takeaway

This story highlights the generational divide in soccer fandom, with a legendary Italian player struggling to accept his son's devotion to a Premier League club rather than his father's former teams. It also showcases the global popularity of the Premier League and specific players like Mason Mount among young fans.