Javier Zanetti – a tribute to the man, the footballer

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.