Alessandro Nesta emphatically ruled out a stop-gap return to the Italian national side, even in the face of a serious injury to Marco Materazzi that will keep the Inter star on the sidelines as the Azzurri take on France.

Nesta said, "I have already spoken about the national team, and don't have anything else to say. Don't you [journalists] have something else to ask?"

The AC Milan defender continued, "I don't see why the press persist with this... I've already said that I won't return to the national team, and I will not do so."

Many thought that Nesta could be persuaded to don the blue shirt once more following the declaration from AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti that a return to the national side for Nesta is not beyond the realms of possibility.

Alessandro himself, though, feels differently.

"Ancelotti says my return is not out of the question? ... I have taken a decision, and won't go back on it."

Nesta won 78 caps for Italy between 1996 and 2006, concluding his Azzurri career with a World Cup winner's medal.

Goal.com