Javier Zanetti – a tribute to the man, the footballer

When Javier Zanetti was carried off in Sicily just 14 minutes into his 1101th game not many, if any, would have given a chance to the 39-year-old of making a comeback from a ruptured Achilles tendon. However, such is the will of the man and the love for the game that he wants to come back even stronger and play on for another year, at least.

Not many would have predicted the success that Zanetti has had when aged just 15 he was rejected by Independiente, for being too small to make it as a professional footballer. However, he did and that too after spending his days delivering milk and laying bricks with his father and playing in shoes that his father had sewed for him.

Once he had found his first professional break, it was only going to matter of time before he made his mark in Argentina, as well as on the world stage. It only took him a year to progress from the second division to the first division. One instinctively knew that much better things lay ahead of him. In his 20+ years playing for Talleres, Banfield and Internazionale not only has he done great, he has been an epitome for every professional in all respects.

Zanetti holds the record for the highest number of appearances for a Nerazzurri player after overtaking former club captain Giuseppe Bergomi and is second only to Paolo Maldini in terms of all time appearances in Serie A. Although, primarily a right back, Zanetti has played as a left back, center back, central midfield, central defensive midfield, left wing and right wing for the Milanese club and never has he shirked any responsibilities. This shows that the man has not only been on top of his game but has been tenacious and determined enough to do well wherever he has been deployed.

A lot of things have changed at the Biscione over the last 18 years including the 18 managers that have come and gone but one thing has remained the same if not gotten better than before; ever since the Club president made Zanetti his first ever signing at Inter Milan, he has been a rock for the La Beneamata in good and some turbulent times. He has played in more than 90% (845 out of 938) of the games that the club has been involved in. In fact, from October 2006 to April 2010, he made 137 consecutive appearances for the club and there has not been a season in which Zanetti has played less than 34 games. As a player for Internazionale he as won everything as part of his 16 trophies at Inter (which includes the complete set of UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup, Coppa Italia, Italian Super Cup and the Serie A titles). 15 out of 16 trophies that Zanetti has won have come under his captaincy which he took over in 1999; he is the only non-Italian to be the captain of a Serie A side.

The reasons behind his success are simple, i.e. training as hard as possible and practicing every day of the week with same intensity and purpose. Prime example of his dedication is when he turned up for Argentina’s training camp for international duty on the morning of his wedding.

The success that Zanetti has had at the club level has been replicated at the international level; he has the highest number of caps for any Argentinean (145) despite missing out on the last 2 editions of the world cups. One of the reasons given is that he has been an unlucky omen and the team has not won anything since his debut in 1995, which is just down right insulting.

Another testament to Zanetti’s abilities is his inclusion in Pelé’s ‘FIFA 100’ list of the game’s greatest living footballers.

Away from the football pitch Zanetti is a thorough family man and a devoted catholic. He along with his contemporaries is a FIFA Ambassador and focuses on a venture called SOS Children’s Villages in Argentina. Zanetti along with his wife Paula have created Fundacion PUPI to help malnourished children by taking care of their food needs; providing educational opportunities and along with his team mate Esteban Cambiasso has started a charity called Leoni di Potrero, to assist young children with mental disabilities and social isolation problems. Mark of a person who is giving back to the society from which he has gotten so much love and adulation.

One will struggle to find a person who has anything bad to say about Javier Zanetti or criticize him for his actions on or off the pitch. That is the kind of fine example that he has set for all the budding footballers and indeed human beings. If it is to be the end of a glittering career then I will be the first to admit that these have been three marvelous decades watching Zanetti. Being a fan first I hope that “El Tractor”, makes a full recovery and does a few more miles.