“If I want to continue at the highest level for many more years, then I have to make some choices. Leaving the Nazionale is one of them,” he told ‘Tuttosport.’

The defender has never been very fortunate with the Azzurri, as he missed most of the 2002 and 2006 World Cups with injury.

Nesta was sidelined for four months this season after undergoing surgery for a dislocated shoulder, but his return to fitness proved an important boost in the Rossoneri’s Champions League triumph.

Now 31, the former Lazio star is contracted to Milan until 2011 and could follow teammate Paolo Maldini in taking an early retirement from the Italy squad.

Another Rossoneri hero, Gennaro Gattuso, is putting the Azzurri first. He pledged to dye his hair blonde if Milan won the Champions League, but pointed out he will only do so after the Euro 2008 qualifiers against Lithuania and the Faroe Islands.

“I can go around like that in Italy, but if I go overseas people will think I am insane,” said the midfielder.

It is customary in Italy to ‘retire’ the shirt when a legendary player hangs up his boots and, like Franco Baresi before him, Maldini will see the Number 3 put into storage when he decides to quit.

“There is a novelty here though,” pointed out Vice-President Adriano Galliani. “The shirt will be reserved until his son Cristian or any other children of Paolo’s manage to play in Serie A with Milan.”

This is not just an amusing bet, for Cristian is already a starlet in the Rossoneri’s youth system at the age of nine.

He would become the third generation of the Maldini family to play for the club after Cesare won the Champions League in 1963 and son Paolo lifted the same trophy most recently this week.

“The shirt is retired temporarily,” added Galliani. “This is a family story and that jersey belongs only to the Maldinis.”

There is a family atmosphere at Milan at the moment, as this morning Clarence Seedorf’s partner Luviana gave birth to a baby boy. Little Denzel Seedorf weighs 3.2kg and is 49cm long.

The club continues its festivities after beating Liverpool 2-1 to lift the Champions League for the seventh time on Wednesday in Athens.

Upon their return to Milan on Thursday, the team paraded through the city in an open top bus and Ambrosini was spotted holding a banner urging Inter to ‘Stick your Scudetto…’

“Those who have celebrated straight after a great sporting success know that you can let yourself go and fall into a climate of fun,” wrote the midfielder in an open letter of apology on the club’s official website.

“That is absolutely all it was, good natured fun. Football is not just official statements and good manners spoken through gritted teeth. Between lads who play football there is often an exchange of jokey insults that is never meant to be offensive.

“I am perfectly aware that I was silly and apologise to everyone. It was a gesture made in a moment of euphoria and I hope it will not cancel the image of a fair and correct professional that I have always had in my 15-year career.”

The rivalry between the ‘Cugini’ rose to new heights this month when Inter figures including Coach Roberto Mancini, President Massimo Moratti and captain Javier Zanetti said they would not support Milan in the Champions League and that they would be “irritated” to have their Scudetto party “ruined” by a European Cup celebration.

“All of us Milanisti have an Interista friend and vice versa,” continued Ambrosini. “We exchange a few chants at a distance, but that doesn’t mean there is no respect. If anything, the Milan derby has traditionally been the fairest and probably the only game where Milan and Inter fans go to the stadium together. That is how it must remain, without rancour.”

The evening at San Siro last night saw fireworks and entertainment for the fans, including Coach Carlo Ancelotti singing.

However – and not due to the vocal talents of their tactician – a section of the fans in the Curva Sud staged a protest during the celebration.

They at first turned their backs on the party, then left the area. They were protesting at the arrest this week of seven Milan Ultras, accused of attempted extortion against the club.

The Real Madrid man’s contract expires next month and in January he was free to negotiate with a number of clubs.

Milan announced they had been his number one option if Becks had decided to stay in Europe and the player admits that is true.

“It was not easy to say no to Milan, one of the best clubs in the world. The squad, the Coach, the President, the city and then Ronaldo went there too. It was a very tough choice,” said the England international who today received a surprise recall from Steve McClaren for the friendly against Brazil and Euro 2008 qualifier in Estonia.

“I was honoured, flattered and tempted. But I had to think about my family and wanted a different challenge.

“I am well aware that football in the States cannot be compared to that in Europe, but I see it as a challenge. I am not just going there to play, I am an ambassador for a movement.

“I would have liked to play in Serie A. Italy is a country I love because it has everything – great football, great players, the best food in the world, wine, fashion, countryside. Last year I was in Portofino and have often gone to Tuscany. We even thought of getting a house there.”

Former Real teammate Ronaldo was celebrating the Champions League trophy in Athens and Beckham could have been there with him.

“It was a deserved success, especially considering everything they did during the season. The second leg against Manchester United was the perfect performance. Milan play great football, work hard, score fantastic goals and have extraordinary talents like Kaka.”

Liverpool felt they were unfortunate after losing the Final 2-1 on Wednesday, but Beckham does not see it that way.

“Liverpool know it too, Milan played better in Athens and they won. Filippo Inzaghi has scored extraordinary goals, important goals and fortunate goals. But you cannot talk about luck really in his case – he has been hitting the back of the net all his life and is to be admired.”

The race for the Ballon d’Or is Milan-heavy this year and captain Paolo Maldini is in the running.

“He deserves to challenge for it with Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo. Anyone who at the age of 39 is playing in a club like Milan and has the respect that Maldini commands deserves to win. But it will be difficult.”

Beckham is a teammate of current European and World Player of the Year Fabio Cannavaro and another Italian talent, Antonio Cassano, at Real.

“They are very different, both great lads. Cassano is crazy, but he’s also one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. He is always happy, ready to laugh and joke around, not to mention a real talent. I’d like him to play more.

“Cannavaro is one of the best defenders I have ever known. We got on well off the field as well, we’re good friends.”

The same cannot be said of Coach Fabio Capello, who often clashed with Beckham at the Bernabeu and froze him out after he signed for LA Galaxy.

“He is one of the greatest managers in the world. Whatever you may say about him, his career speaks for itself. He is a winner, someone who believes in his players and is on our side. These are qualities you could see despite the problems within the club.”

It was no secret that the Rossoneri were close to signing former Juventus man Ibra last summer, but because they had to wait until their Champions League preliminary round was completed to know their strategy, Inter got there first.

Now that he has been a key figure in the Nerazzurri’s Scudetto triumph and Milan are champions of Europe, there are claims he wants to move on.

“Many champions have approached us. They all want us now,” smiled Ancelotti in yesterday’s Press conference.

“That includes one player who is totally above suspicion. If I reveal his name, it’ll be chaos…”

The newspapers this morning all agree on one thing – that man is Inter hero Ibrahimovic.

Already linked with Real Madrid, the real reason for his contract renegotiation problems is a desire to cross the city like Ronaldo, Andrea Pirlo and Clarence Seedorf before him.

The Swede has reportedly asked for a substantial pay increase from the current £4m per season to at least £5.5m.

He also bitterly criticised the club this week, comparing them unfavourably to the disgraced Juventus side led by Luciano Moggi.

“My agent is currently negotiating a wage increase at Inter. I hope Massimo Moratti is as decisive now as when he signed me,” explained the former Ajax man.

“At Juve, they were a lot clearer on certain things. Moggi was removed because we won too much. It was all jealousy. When I arrived at Inter, the first thing I advised Moratti was to bring in Luciano and change their mentality. Luckily, we won anyway…

“They are two great teams, but that Juve had something more. There was a sense of cohesion that still isn’t present at Inter,” he told ‘Libero’ newspaper.

“Last year when someone played badly, the other teammates lifted him up. Here it is the opposite – whoever plays below par drags the rest of the squad down with him. Inter are still learning what it takes to be at the top.”

This transfer story could bring relations between the two ‘cugini’ to an all-time low. Matters are already extremely tense after the clubs insulted each other at a distance during their trophy celebrations.

There was controversy this week when Milan Coach Ancelotti said a star player who “nobody could suspect” had approached them looking for a transfer.

“If I revealed his name, there would be chaos,” he smiled in his Press conference. All the major Italian newspapers insisted it was Ibrahimovic, who has criticised Inter for dragging their heels over a contract improvement.

When asked about this story, Nerazzurri patron Moratti vented his fury at Sky Italia television.

“I really don’t think that Ibra can go to Milan,” he said. “I definitely did not appreciate Ancelotti’s comments.

“I’m not sure at this stage what is true and what was built up by the media. In the past we have exchanged players with Milan to avoid excessive wage deals, but I don’t see any likelihood that could happen now.”

This message was relayed to Ancelotti and the tension between the two clubs grew even further.

“I wasn’t trying to be funny,” said the Rossoneri Coach. “Moratti has nothing to do with the ‘beyond suspicion’ player I was talking about. The newspapers are making these links, but I never named anyone. I never said Ibrahimovic.”

If Milan are not behind it, then what is undeniable is that Ibrahimovic is unhappy with the Nerazzurri.

He caused controversy this week by telling newspaper ‘Libero’ that Juventus were more organised and a better squad, partly because of disgraced former director general Luciano Moggi.

“You always need someone like Moggi in an organisation,” Zlatan reiterated in front of Sky Italia television cameras this evening.

“He helped me out a lot when I was at Juve. Here at Inter things are going well, but one can always do better.”