Javier Zanetti

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Javier Zanetti
Metalist-Inter (2).jpg
Zanetti in 2014.
Personal information
Full name Javier Adelmar Zanetti
Date of birth (1973-08-10) 10 August 1973 (age 50)
Place of birth Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Position(s) Full back / Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
Internazionale (Vice-president)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1992–1993 Talleres 33 (1)
1993–1995 Banfield 66 (4)
1995–2014 Internazionale 615 (12)
Total 714 (17)
International career
1996 Argentina U23 12 (0)
1994–2011 Argentina 143[2] (5)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Javier Adelmar Zanetti (Spanish pronunciation: [xaˈβjeɾ saˈneti]; born 10 August 1973) is an Argentine former footballer. He played most of his career for the Italian Serie A club Internazionale, from 1995 to 2014, and served as their captain from 1999, earning him the nickname "Il Capitano" (The Captain). Known for his versatility, he was adept on both the left and right wing, having played on both flanks as a fullback, as well as a winger.[3] He could also play as a defensive midfielder. On retiring, the club retired his number 4 jersey and named him as Vice President.[4]

Known as "Pupi" in Argentina, Zanetti was born in Buenos Aires, picking up the nickname "El Tractor" (The Tractor) soon after his move to Italy where his strength, resilience, stamina, and his ability to run past opposing defenders when joining the attack from his right back position earned him reverence. Zanetti won honours including five Serie A and four Coppa Italia titles with Inter.The 2010 UEFA Champions League Final on 22 May 2010 was Zanetti's 700th game with Inter, and the team's victory on the night made him the only captain to win a treble with an Italian club. Internationally, he holds the record of the most capped player in the history of the Argentine national team. He won a silver medal at the 1996 Olympic tournament, and played in five Copa América tournaments and two World Cups (1998 and 2002).

He holds the record for the highest all-time appearances by a non-Italian born player for an Italian club and his 858 official matches for the club put him first in Inter's all-time appearances list. He holds the most appearances for an outfield-player in football history, with 1123 matches played. Only Rogério Ceni (1200) and Peter Shilton (1362) have played more matches. He is also noted for his charity work, running a foundation to benefit disadvantaged children in Argentina. He has been named an ambassador for the SOS Children's Villages project in Argentina by FIFA, and in 2005, he received the Ambrogino d'Oro award from the City of Milan for his social initiative. Zanetti is also a Global Ambassador for Special Olympics.

Early life

Javier Adelmar Zanetti was born in Buenos Aires to working-class parents and grew up in the harbour area in the Dock Sud district, one of the city's most notorious areas. His father Rodolfo was a bricklayer and his mother Violeta Bonnazola was a cleaner. He began playing football on a field in the city suburbs, maintaining the pitch in his spare time. When he was a teenager, he tried out for local club Independiente's youth academy but was ultimately rejected and told that he lacked the physique to succeed in the game. Instead, he concentrated on school and worked as an assistant to his father with masonry as well as odd jobs such as delivering milk and helping out at a relative's grocery store.[5]

Club career

Talleres RE

After his rejection from Independiente, Zanetti signed for Talleres de Remedios de Escalada, then a second division team. With them, he played 33 matches and scored one goal in his only season, before moving in 1993 to the First Division club Banfield.

Banfield

A 20-year-old Zanetti debuted for Banfield on 12 September 1993 in a home match against River Plate. He scored his first goal 17 days later against Newell's Old Boys in a match that ended 1–1. His outstanding performances for Banfield gained popularity from El Taladro fans and also earned him a call-up from the national team. First division giants River Plate and Boca Juniors displayed interest but Zanetti decided to stay on for another year at the club. In 1995, along with fellow Argentine Sebastián Rambert, he transferred to Italy's Internazionale, becoming team owner Massimo Moratti's first-ever purchase.

Internazionale

Zanetti during training

As a part of the squad for 19 seasons and with 858 appearances across all competitions, he is currently the team's longest-tenured player, and the first overall – surpassing Giuseppe Bergomi (758) – in the all-time list of Inter players by most games played.

Throughout his stay with the club, he won 16 trophies, 15 of which came under his captaincy : the UEFA Cup in 1998, the 2005, 2006, 2010 and 2011 Coppa Italia, the 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2010 Supercoppa Italiana, the 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09 and 2009–10 Scudetti and the 2009–10 UEFA Champions League.

Zanetti went twelve years without being sent off in a match. The first time he was sent off in his career was on 17 February 1999 in a Coppa Italia match against Parma, but he broke his streak when he was sent off in a Serie A match against Udinese on 3 December 2011. These were the only two times he was sent off during his entire career at Inter.

At Inter, Zanetti played under nineteen (19) different coaches (list), making him the only player to have played under this many coaches. He has pledged his future to the Nerazzurri, hoping to have a future behind the desk at the club in his retirement from playing. "Inter means a lot to me," Zanetti said.

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It was the first team to open the doors of European football. I was very young when I came here and I think not many teams could have had so much faith and patience with a boy in his early 20s from the very first day like Inter did with me. I will always be grateful for that. For some reason I have always felt at home here at Inter and this is why I have never thought of leaving.[6]

Early career

Zanetti made his debut for Inter on 27 August 1995 against Vicenza in Milan. He scored Inter's second goal in their 3–0 win over compatriots Lazio in the 1998 UEFA Cup Final at the Parc des Princes in Paris,[7] his first silverware at the club.

On 29 August 1999, he was rewarded with the club captaincy, taking over from legendary defender Giuseppe Bergomi. It was later revealed that he had considered signing for Real Madrid before being made captain.[8]

Move to midfield

After the arrival of Maicon at the beginning of the 2006–07 season, Zanetti was moved from the right back position into midfield.[3] He ended a four-year goal drought when he scored on 5 November 2006[9] at a home match against Ascoli, having previously scored on 6 November 2002 at an away match against Empoli. On 27 September 2006, against Bayern Munich, Zanetti played his 500th professional match for Inter[10] and on 22 November 2006, he appeared in his 100th UEFA match against Sporting Clube de Portugal.[11]

He celebrated his 600th match for Inter on 24 September 2008 with a 1–0 win over newly promoted Lecce. Minutes before the match, he was presented with a commemorative plate by former vice-captain Iván Córdoba to mark the special occasion.[12]

Zanetti playing for Inter in 2009

Though Zanetti is more often classified as a defender, he played mostly in midfield during the first half of the 2008–09 season. For the last several weeks of October 2008, with Portuguese coach José Mourinho facing a midfield crisis due to injuries to key midfielders Esteban Cambiasso and Sulley Muntari, he was moved again to the midfield for the matches against Genoa and Fiorentina. During that period, Mourinho played him in the midfield due to the presence of Maicon, Lúcio, Walter Samuel, and Cristian Chivu in the back four.

The 2009–10 season began well for Zanetti and Inter, especially after a 4–0 thrashing of crosstown rivals Milan in the Derby della Madonnina. In the match against Genoa on 17 October, he started off the counter-attack that led to Inter's second goal after dispossessing a Genoa player.[13] Inter became the first team of the season to win by a five-goal margin. On 24 October, he reached Giacinto Facchetti's record of 476 Serie A appearances when he turned out for the match against Catania, which ended in a 2–1 win for the Nerazzurri. He also currently holds a club record of 149 consecutive appearances.[14]

Inter won the 2010 Champions League Final 2–0 against Bayern Munich on 22 May 2010. This was Zanetti's 700th appearance for Inter, and it made him the first player to captain an Italian club to a treble of the Scudetto, Coppa Italia and Champions League.

Later career

On 20 October 2010, at 37 years and 71 days, Zanetti became the oldest player to score in the Champions League when he netted in the opening minute of Inter's 4–3 group stage win over Tottenham Hotspur at the Giuseppe Meazza.[15] This was only his second ever Champions League goal; his first came in December 1998 in a match in a 2–0 win against Sturm Graz. He scored one of Inter's goals in their 3–0 win against Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma at the 2010 FIFA Club World Cup,[16] which they eventually won.

Zanetti shaking hands with Sergei Ignashevich before a Champions League match against CSKA Moscow in 2011

On 19 January 2011, Zanetti overtook Inter legend Giuseppe Bergomi in Serie A appearances, his 520th match in Serie A, all for Inter. On 11 May 2011, Zanetti made his 1000th appearance as a professional footballer playing for Inter against Roma in the second leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final. On 20 September 2011, Javier Zanetti made the all-time appearance record in a Serie A clash against Novara, surpassing Giuseppe Bergomi.

On 10 March 2013, Zanetti played in his 600th Serie A match for Inter, a 1–0 loss to Bologna at the Giuseppe Meazza.[17]

On 29 April 2014, Inter's president Erick Thohir announced that Zanetti would retire at the end of the 2013–14 season, and become a club director.[18] Zanetti's last competitive match at the San Siro was a 4–1 victory over Lazio on 10 May 2014.[19][20] He came on as a substitute for Jonathan in the 52nd minute and wore a special armband featuring the names of every player he had played with during his career at Inter.[21] He retired after the last game of the season, which he started as centre-back in a 2–1 away defeat to Chievo on 18 May.[22]

In June 2014, Inter's president Erick Thohir appointed him Vice President for the next two years.[4]

On 4 May 2015, during a charitable match at the San Siro, with former and current football stars, organised by Zanetti himself for the opening celebrations for the Expo 2015 in Milan, Inter officially retired Zanetti's number 4 jersey.[23]

International career

Javier Zanetti and Cristiano Ronaldo during a friendly match on 9 February 2011

Zanetti debuted for Argentina on 16 November 1994 against Chile under coach Daniel Passarella. He represented his country at the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cups, and was also part of the team that won the silver medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, USA.

In the 1998 World Cup run, he neatly finished off a Juan Sebastián Verón free kick in the round of 16 match against England making the score 2–2. Argentina went on to win 4–3 on penalties but lost the quarter-final match to the Netherlands.

Zanetti played for Marcelo Bielsa's Argentine national team in the 2002 World Cup. However, they finished 3rd in their group, despite winning the opening match.

Zanetti celebrated his 100th cap by helping Argentina win their 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup semi-final over Mexico on 26 June 2005, in which he won the Man of the Match award.[24]

After having been part of the team during the qualification rounds, Zanetti was not called up for the 2006 FIFA World Cup by coach José Pekerman in a controversial decision.[25] Instead, Lionel Scaloni was given a surprise selection, a move that bewildered many fans and media.

With new coach Alfio Basile, Zanetti was called for a friendly match against France on 7 February 2007. He played brilliantly and helped Javier Saviola to score the only goal of the game that gave Argentina the first victory under Basile's second management.[26] That same year, Zanetti was vice-captain of the Argentine squad for the Copa América 2007, having previously appeared in the 1995, 1999 and the 2004 editions of the tournament.

Zanetti during the friendly match against Portugal on 9 February 2011

In April 2007, Zanetti was presented with the National Giuseppe Prisco Award.[27] After the retirement of Roberto Ayala, Zanetti was given the captain's armband. In a World Cup qualification match against Bolivia on 17 November 2007, he became the most capped player ever for Argentina.[28]

Zanetti remained a regular under new coach Diego Maradona, although defensive midfielder Javier Mascherano took over as captain at Maradona's request.[29] Despite winning the Champions League at club level, Zanetti and his Inter team-mate Esteban Cambiasso were not included in the Argentina squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. This move was heavily criticised by football pundits from both South America and Europe. Instead 30-year-old Ariel Garcé, who had been called up just twice in the previous five years,[30] received a shocking selection, but ultimately did not play a single minute in any World Cup match. Zanetti's place in the starting line up was taken by Jonás Gutiérrez, who had spent the previous season playing on the wing for Newcastle United in England's second-tier Football League Championship.[31]

On 20 August 2010 Argentina national team coach Sergio Batista recalled Javier Zanetti to the squad for a friendly against Spain played on 7 September 2010 at the River Plate Monumental Stadium, where he and fellow legend Gabriel Batistuta were honored by the Argentine Football Association for their outstanding careers with more than 48,000 people giving them a standing ovation.[32] He was called again for the friendly against Japan in Saitama of October 2010 but withdrew at the last minute due to injury.[33]

He was a member of Argentina's squad for the 2011 Copa América on home soil, starting in all four of the team's matches as they were eliminated by Uruguay in the quarter-finals.

Style of play

Zanetti making a tackle in an international friendly against Russia in 2009

Zanetti earned the nickname El Tractor for his stamina and tireless runs up and down the wings to aid both attack and defence. He was known amongst his teammates for consistency and fitness regime, which he has credited with prolonging his career.[5][34] During his last few seasons he started in over thirty games despite being in his late thirties. As captain, he was well-respected by both fans and the opposition for his leadership, calm demeanor and conduct as Inter's captain; in his entire 22-year career, he only received two red cards.[35]

Zanetti was a quick, strong, and physically fit player in his prime, with outstanding physical attributes, excellent ball control, dribbling, technical ability, and acceleration.[36] Defensively, he excelled at reading the game, and he was a good ball-winner and man-marker, although he was also effective at distributing the ball to team-mates, due to his passing range and vision.[37] A two-way and two-footed player, he excelled at playing on either flank, where he was capable of advancing into more offensive positions to cross balls for team-mates. He also possessed an accurate shot from distance. During his later years at Inter, he was known to have developed a formidable partnership with fellow fullback Maicon, leading the club to win several titles.[36]

Zanetti began his career as a right offensive winger,[37] but was later moved back into mid-field, where he became a tactically intelligent and versatile player, who was capable of playing anywhere in midfield or in defence. He was primarily used as a wide midfielder or as a full-back on either flank throughout his career, although he has also been deployed as a central defender, sweeper, or as a central or defensive midfielder. He was even deployed in more offensive roles on occasion.[36] Zanetti has been praised for his determination, consistency, and work-rate, as well as his discipline and longevity, which he has attributed to his diligence in training sessions.[38][39][40]

Personal life

Graffito of Zanetti near the San Siro

On 23 December 1999, Zanetti married his long-time girlfriend Paula De la Fuente, the daughter of a university lecturer. They met when he was nineteen and she was fourteen and dated for seven years prior to their marriage. They live near Lake Como, and they also own a restaurant called "El Gaucho" in Milan in the Navigli district, a popular tourist area. Paula currently works as a photographer. The couple have a daughter Sol (b. 11 June 2005) and two sons, Ignacio (b. 2008) and Tomas (b. 9 May 2012).

Zanetti is a devout Catholic. Upon the 2013 election of fellow Argentine Pope Francis, Zanetti was invited to the Vatican for an audience with him.[41][42] <templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" />

I must admit that [what] I feel at this moment is especially a thrill for all of us Argentines. [I] do not know him personally, but it is a Pope who has lived in Buenos Aires, very humble and always always close to our people. Faith is so important in the world and us we are all close. I had the good fortune to meet Pope Ratzinger and now I expect to have the 'opportunity to meet the new national pope, it would be a great thrill for me and my whole family. [I] wish him all the best and again, for all of us as people of Argentina [it] is a great feeling.[43]

Zanetti is a close friend of Dutch footballer Wesley Sneijder, whom he inspired to convert to Catholicism.[44]

Zanetti's elder brother Sergio is a former football defender. Javier Zanetti is not related to Cristiano Zanetti, an Italian who played alongside him for five seasons at Inter.

In 2007, Zanetti collaborated with Italian singer Mina in a Spanish cover of the song "Parole parole", found in the album Todavía. Zanetti features in EA Sports' FIFA video game series; he was included in the FIFA 16 Ultimate Team Legends.[45]

Charity work

Zanetti in 2011

Zanetti is FIFA ambassador for the SOS Children's Villages project in Argentina,[46] and has declared his support for the Mexican Zapatista rebels.[47]

Fundación PUPI

Zanetti has also shown social conscience when in response to Argentina's economic crisis of 2001, which threw millions of people into poverty, Zanetti, with his wife Paula, created the Fundación PUPI[48] in Argentina for the social integration of poor children. The aim of the organization is to help children who were left impoverished by the country's economic crisis by giving them educational opportunities, as well as taking care of their nutritional requirements. He explained:

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When I look back to my childhood, many concrete scenes come to my mind, good ones and bad ones. I had a difficult childhood, and even though I don't live in my country at present, I'm well aware of what's going on there and the devastating effect it's having on our poorest children. I've always believed that our public actions need to take account of our social responsibility,

Leoni di Potrero

Zanetti, along with his compatriot Esteban Cambiasso, founded this charity association to help coach young children with social isolation problems and motor coordination difficulties. Zanetti said that "this spirit lies at the base of all of Inter's initiatives for youngsters:"[49]

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There must always be values at the heart of sport, and this is what we have to teach children.

Media

Zanetti features in EA Sports' FIFA football video game series; he was included in the Ultimate Team Legends in FIFA 16.[50]

Career statistics

Club

As of 17 May 2014.
Team Season League Cup Continental1 Other2 Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Talleres 1992–93 33 1 33 1
Total 33 1 33 1
Banfield 1993–94 37 1 37 1
1994–95 29 3 29 3
Total 66 4 66 4
Internazionale 1995–96 32 2 5 0 2 0 39 2
1996–97 33 3 5 1 12 0 50 4
1997–98 28 0 4 0 9 2 41 2
1998–99 34 3 5 0 9 1 2 0 50 4
1999–00 34 1 8 1 1 0 43 2
2000–01 29 0 1 0 4 0 34 0
2001–02 33 0 1 1 10 1 44 2
2002–03 34 1 1 0 18 0 53 1
2003–04 34 0 5 0 12 0 51 0
2004–05 35 0 3 0 11 0 49 0
2005–06 25 0 5 0 8 0 1 0 39 0
2006–07 37 1 4 0 8 0 1 0 50 1
2007–08 38 1 4 0 8 0 1 0 51 1
2008–09 38 0 4 0 8 0 1 0 51 0
2009–10 37 0 4 0 13 0 1 0 55 0
2010–11 35 0 5 0 8 1 4 1 52 2
2011–12 34 0 2 0 8 0 1 0 45 0
2012–13 33 0 4 0 11 0 48 0
2013–14 12 0 1 0 13 0
Total 615 12 71 3 159 5 13 1 858 21
Career Total 714 17 71 3 159 5 13 1 957 26

1Continental competitions include the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup
2Other tournaments include the Serie A play-off, Supercoppa Italiana, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup

International

[51][52]

Argentina national team
Year Apps Goals
1994 3 0
1995 15 1
1996 6 0
1997 4 0
1998 9 2
1999 11 0
2000 7 0
2001 9 0
2002 6 0
2003 8 1
2004 14 1
2005 10 0
2006 0 0
2007 15 0
2008 11 0
2009 8 0
2010 2 0
2011 7 0
Total 143[53] 5

Competition statistics

Honours

Club

Inter[55]
Argentina[55]

Individual

References

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  2. http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/fifafacts/stats-centclub/52/00/59/centuryclub290715_neutral.pdf
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  12. Inter and Zanetti: 600 times together
  13. Stanković stunner as Inter cruise
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  26. "Saviola sinks Les Bleus in Paris" – Yahoo sports.
  27. "Premio Prisco: i vincitori della V edizione" (Italian)
  28. "No stopping record-breaker Zanetti" – UEFA.
  29. Mascherano accepts captaincy offer – FIFA
  30. Ariel Garce matches
  31. [1]
  32. Argentina: Batistuta and Zanetti, winning at home for their respective records | Soccer News -Soccer Team – Soccer player | Football News @ Goaledor.Com
  33. Pupi no, ¿y Milito?
  34. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  44. Dutch soccer player who scored winning goal against Brazil is Catholic convert :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)
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  48. Fundación PUPI
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  51. Zanetti.html Javier Zanetti at National-Football-Teams.comLua error in Module:WikidataCheck at line 28: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
  52. Javier Adelmar Zanetti – International Appearances
  53. http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/fifafacts/stats-centclub/52/00/59/centuryclub290715_neutral.pdf
  54. Legaseriea.it – Javier Zanetti's Serie A statistics
  55. 55.0 55.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  59. http://www.fifpro.org/en/news/55-players-shortlisted-for-fifa-fifpro-world-xi-2010
  60. http://www.fifpro.org/en/events/world-xi/players?sortname2=2005
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  64. "Internazionale retire No4 shirt in honour of Javier Zanetti", The Guardian, 30 June 2014
  65. "Inter make Zanetti vice-president & retire No.4 jersey", Goal.com, 30 June 2014

External links

Sporting positions
Preceded by Internazionale captain
1999–2014
Succeeded by
Andrea Ranocchia
Preceded by Argentina captain
2007-2008
Succeeded by
Javier Mascherano

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