Nicolás Andrés Burdisso (born 12 April 1981 in Altos de Chipion) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a defender for A.S. Roma.

He also holds European Union nationality

Club career

Boca Juniors

Burdisso is the product of Argentine team Boca Juniors's youth system and began his professional career with them in 1999 at age 18. With Boca Juniors, he won two Argentine Championships (2000 Apertura and 2003 Apertura), three Copa Libertadores (2000, 2001, 2003), and two Intercontinental Cups (2000, 2003).

Internazionale

In 2004, he moved to Internazionale, signing a 4-year contract.[1] However, he missed almost entirely the 2004–05 season with Inter because he returned to his native Argentina to tend his daughter, who overcame leukemia. Back to squad in mid-2005, he won the 2006 Coppa Italia. On 31 August 2006, he extended his contract until 2009.[2] During 2006, when Giacinto Facchetti died, Burdisso was given the number 16 jersey for the retirement of Facchetti's beloved number 3 jersey. In spite of being a defender, he has scored a number of goals, including two goals scored with headers on 29 November 2006 in the 4–0 victory against Messina, and then again scoring twice on 24 January 2007, in the 3–0 victory against Sampdoria. He has also scored several goals from headers off corner-kicks.

During the Champions League tie between Valencia CF and Inter on 5 March 2007, during the fracas between players of the two teams, Burdisso suffered a broken nose following a punch in the face from Valencia defender David Navarro. As punishment for his part in the brawl, Burdisso was handed a six match ban for all European club competitions, with additional two match suspended sentence, while Navarro was sentenced to a seven month ban from domestic, European, and international matches. He returned to duty on 12 March 2008 in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League match against Liverpool, but was sent off in the 60th minute after receiving his second yellow card of the game. With Internazionale, he played each position including left and right back and central defender, as one of the key member to share first choice role for three difference competition.

In 2009, Burdisso won his fourth consecutive Serie A title with Inter making his personal title tally 19. This makes him the second Argentine with most titles behind Alfredo di Stéfano, who has 21.

AS Roma

On 22 August 2009, Burdisso was signed by A.S. Roma on loan, which offered him €3million salary per year.[3] He played the opening match of the league on 23 August. Burdisso scored his first goal for Roma on December 20, 2009, opening the scoring in a 2–0 win over Parma.

He was then signed by A.S. Roma on 28 August 2010.[4]

Burdisso has expressed his desire to finish his career at Boca Juniors[5].

His younger brother Guillermo, also a defender, is currently playing for AS Roma, even if the two have not played together yet.

International career

Burdisso starred in the Argentina Under-20 team with Javier Saviola and Maxi Rodríguez and they won the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship together.

On 15 May 2006, he was named as a squad member for the 2006 FIFA World Cup by his youth U-20 coach José Pekerman. He played in all three group matches. He also played for Argentina in the Copa América 2007.

On 4 June 2008, Burdisso scored his second goal for Argentina during a friendly against Mexico in San Diego, California. Burdisso was called by Argentine manager Diego Maradona to play for the national team in the 2010 World Cup.