Let’s Hear It For… Javier Zanetti
By Ollie Irish
Javier Zanetti, 36, has just signed a contract extension at Internazionale. His contract now runs until June 2013.
“I am happy and proud,” Zanetti told inter.it. “I and my family thank the Moratti family [Massimo Moratti is Inter's big cheese], all of Inter and our fans who have always supported me and always will.”
He’s right. They always will.
Zanetti comes correct. He’s a proper footballer, a serious footballer, not the sort of footballer who would drunkenly crash a supercar into a wall, or shave patterns into his eyebrows.
Witness (via Wiki):
“Zanetti has won five Serie A titles with Inter, having earned the nickname “Il Capitano” (The Captain) among the fans and media since taking captaincy at Inter. He holds the record for the highest all-time appearances by a non-Italian born player for an Italian club and his 700 official matches for the club put him second… in Inter’s all-time appearances list.”
And…
“Zanetti, who plans to retire with Inter and continue to work with the club thereafter, 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 Milan townhall for his social initiative.”
That’s the measure of the man. Off the pitch and on it, he does the right thing. If only more English players rolled like Javier.
When his contract runs out at Inter, he’ll be close to 40 years old. And who would bet that he’s any less effective than he is now? Not me.
Now he may not have the legs to plough up and down the flank like a tractor, but his football brain is in perfect working order, as we saw last season when he led Inter to their best ever season. I recall he taught young pup Lionel Messi a thing or two when Inter beat Barcelona in the semi finals.
So let’s hear it for Javier Zanetti, a stone-cold football legend, and for all the right reasons.
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the most underated player of his generation. world class
He’s not a plonker, he clearly has very traditional Argentine/Italian values and principles. He plays solidly, he’s versatile, he should have gone to the world cup.
He’s in the same sort of dependable, responsible, non-tabloid fiasco mold as Ryan Giggs.
I might even invite him out for a drink.
Also, pictures 2 and 3 say everything.
It was an absolute travesty he and Cambiasso didn’t go to South Africa. Such an intelligent player, he kept Lionel Messi in his pocket back in April. How Maradona thought that Gutierrez and Otamendi were better right backs is beyond me. Zanetti = All time legend.
Amazing of you, Ollie, to write this, exalting this amazing professional, who takes this job like any other when it comes to discipline and commitment. Abyssal is the difference between this example of profissionalism and intelligence when approaching the game itself and 70IQed footballers who happen to know how (sorta) to kick a ball. Living example. As so well said by Conor, it’s a shame Maradona didn’t see this. They’d have had a real chance.
One of the few last “True Greats” of modern Football…..
First buy I made on every single Champ Manager
Cheers Ollie.. and Forza INTER
Cannot believe he didnt feature in the world cup, Maradona is a legend but a reatard at management…………but what Thierry Henry did to Javier Zanetti ha ha haa made me knock points off this chap