Javier Zanetti
Javier Adelmar Zanetti (Dock Sud, Buenos Aires, August 10, 1973) is an Argentine former soccer player. He played as a right back or central defender and spent almost his entire career at Inter Milan in Serie A in Italy. He is the third player with the most matches in the history of the Argentine national team (first surpassed by Javier Mascherano and then by Lionel Messi) and the Argentine with the most professional matches played. He is currently, since June 30, 2014, vice president of Inter Milan in Serie A, a team where he is considered one of the greatest idols in the club's history.
Zanetti played as an interista from 1995 until his retirement, taking the captain's armband on August 29, 1999. Known for his versatility, he is adept on both the left and right, having played on both flanks as a defender central and extreme. He fits into various midfield positions with ease, especially as a defensive midfielder.
Known as "Pupi" in Argentina, Zanetti was born in Buenos Aires, taking the nickname "El Tractor" shortly after his transfer to Italy, where his strength, elasticity, endurance, and his ability to join the attack earned him reverence. Towards the end of his career, he played primarily in right midfield. He ended a 4-year goal drought when he netted on November 5, 2006. In the Argentina national team he was deployed as a right back, and is able to switch between defense and attack with ease. Zanetti won five Serie A titles with Inter Milan, having earned the nickname "Il Capitano" (El Capitán) among the fans and the press since he assumed the captain's armband at Inter Milan. As of the 2011-12 season, he was the first non-Italian player to captain a Serie A team. He holds the record for appearances by a non-Italian-born player in an Italian team, and his 834 official appearances for the club, which they placed first on Inter Milan's all-time appearance list. Zanetti, who retired with Inter Milan, is also known for his charity work, running a foundation that helps underprivileged children in Argentina. He has been named ambassador of the SOS Children's Villages, a project in Argentina by FIFA, and in 2005, he received the Ambrogino d'Oro award, given every year in Milan, for his work at the PUPI foundation. Zanetti is also a global ambassador for Special Olympics.
May 22, 2010 was Zanetti's 700th match for Inter, on the day of the UEFA Champions League final against Bayern Munich, and the team's 2-0 victory meant conquest of the triple crown (Serie A, Italian Cup and Champions League in the same year), rounding off a historic year. On October 20, 2010, he scored against Tottenham Hotspur to become the oldest player to score in the Champions League at the age of 37 years and 71 days. This record has already been surpassed by Filippo Inzaghi and Ryan Giggs.
He played for the Argentine National Team since 1994. With his team he won the Gold Medal in the 1995 Pan American Games and the Silver Medal in Atlanta 1996. Since October 2007, Zanetti is the player with the most appearances in the national team, surpassing Roberto Ayala. With the national team he played 2 World Cups, 2 Confederations Cups and 5 Copa América.
He was included in the FIFA 100, which is a list of the 125 greatest living soccer players, made by Pelé at the request of FIFA.
He has the number 4 retired in recognition of his career at Inter Milan (1995-2014).
On April 29, 2014, he announced his retirement from professional soccer at the end of the current season. Internazionale owner Erick Thohir named him vice president of the Italian outfit.
Biography
Javier Zanetti grew up in Avellaneda, more precisely in the 2nd section neighborhood of Dock Sud. As a child, he managed to combine study and work (helping his father in construction) with soccer. In 1992, when he was barely nineteen years old, he met Paula De la Fuente, who would become his wife two and a half years later, with whom he had a daughter, named Sol, and two sons, Ignacio and Thomas. His older brother is former soccer player Sergio Ariel Zanetti.
Features
A "Pupi" Zanetti is also called "Tractor" due to his great physical power and endurance. He is a powerful player with great technical ability, so he is able to join the attack quite quickly. Zanetti made a name for himself in football due to his ability as a full-back, reaching the box to create danger and quickly coming back to defend.
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Trajectory
Early Years
Zanetti started children at Independiente de Avellaneda, which never took him into account, his relatives decided to take him to the lower divisions of Talleres de Remedios de Escalada. His debut as a professional soccer player took place in that club on August 22, 1992, entering the 35th minute of the second half in the victory of his team against Instituto by 2-1, within the framework of the third date of the championship of the Primera B Nacional. In that season he ended up playing 33 games and scoring one goal, and then ended up at Club Atlético Banfield in 1993, a club that had promoted to the First Division of Argentina at that time. On September 12, his debut in the highest category of Argentine soccer, in the match that his team drew 0-0 with River Plate, and on September 29 he scored his first goal in the first division, against Newell's Old Boys in a 1-1 draw. 1. In the "drill" he played 19 games in the 1993 Apertura Tournament (scored one goal), in the 1994 Clausura Tournament he played 18 games, in the 1994 Apertura Tournament he played 19 games (scored three goals) and in the 1995 Clausura Tournament he played 10 games (scored one goal), recording, in total, 66 games played and 5 goals scored in two seasons, to later move to Inter Milan.
Inter Milan
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Zanetti was introduced as a new player for Inter Milan in June 1995, a club that paid 6.5 million dollars to acquire him along with Sebastián Rambert (who came from Club Atlético Independiente). His debut at the Italian club was It took place on August 27 of that same year, for the first date of Serie A and his team achieved a 1-0 victory against Vicenza with a goal from Brazilian Roberto Carlos. That year also saw his debut in UEFA competitions, on September 12, in the match that his team drew 1-1 with AC Lugano of Switzerland for the UEFA Cup (Currently the UEFA Europa League). He was able to establish himself in the first team, earned ownership, scored 2 goals and He played 39 games in his first season with Inter (32 for the local championship, 2 for international cups and 5 for local cups). In the 1996/97 season, his team finished in third place in the Italian championship and finalist in the UEFA Cup, after losing the final against Schalke 04 in Germany. Zanetti completed the season with 50 games and 2 goals (he played 33 games in the league, 12 games in international cups and 5 in local cups).
Over time he became one of the club's most beloved players, being captain, moral leader of the team, and the player with the most historical appearances. He stayed with the Milanese club for 18 years, winning 14 titles: The UEFA Cup in 1998, where he scored a goal from outside the area, the Italian Cup in 2005, 2006, 2010 and 2011, the Italian Super Cup in 2005, 2006 and 2010, the Scudettos corresponding to the 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 campaigns, the 2009-10 UEFA Champions League and the 2010 Club World Cup.
On August 23, 2012, Zanetti played his 800th game for Inter Milan, in a 2-0 away win against Romania's FC Vaslui in the UEFA Europa League.
He played 857 games and scored 21 goals.
On April 28, 2013, he suffered an injury in a game against Palermo after colliding with player Salvatore Aronica. After the medical examination, a rupture in the Achilles tendon was diagnosed. El Pupi signs a new contract with Inter on June 12, 2013 despite the serious injury. The return took place on November 9 against Livorno, taking over in the 37th minute of the second half, after 7 months of not playing.
In 2014 the player announced his retirement at the age of 40. His last game was on Saturday, May 10, for the penultimate day of the Italian league, against Lazio.
National team
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Zanetti made his debut in 1994, in a friendly match with a 3-0 victory over Chile. Since then, the full-back has marked an extraordinary career. Renowned Argentine international, he has the second highest number of games played for his team (142) being surpassed since 2018 by Javier Mascherano (143), and then in 2021 by Lionel Messi (153). The team won the gold medal at the Pan American Games of 1995 and the silver medal in the Olympic Games of Atlanta 1996.
He was summoned by Daniel Passarella to the France 1998 World Cup, where he scored a great goal against England, in a special duel for the warlike past of both nations. And four years later, by Marcelo Bielsa to the 2002 World Cup. However, José Pekerman left him out of Germany 2006 in a decision that generated great controversy in his country, since there was no natural replacement in his position.
The following year, he joined Alfio Basile's team, which played in the 2007 Copa América. In the tournament, Argentina played at an extraordinary level, with players at an exquisite level, such as Messi, Riquelme, Verón, Mascherano, Gago, Aimar, Tévez, Ayala, Burdisso, Crespo and Diego Milito, where the albiceleste reached the final.
Later, in May 2010, Diego Maradona was left out of coach Diego Maradona's list of 30 players to participate in the greatest World Cup event of the year, the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, leading the list of absent figures, along with his teammate Esteban Cambiaso. Both had even been champions of Serie A and the UEFA Champions League. And during the world competition, the lack, once again, of a right-back with projection and experience was evident. Argentina would fall in the quarterfinals against Germany, 4-0, in a match that meant the premature elimination of the national team.
In September 2010, he was called up by Sergio Batista to play against Spain on September 7, 2010, Zanetti's return to the National Team. The match ended in a 4-1 victory for Argentina, displaying the best game since recent years, against the world champion country, which had all its figures.
Later, he would also be called up for the 2011 Copa América, being one of the most outstanding players on the squad. In addition, he always remembers his encouragement and confidence towards Lionel Messi, whom many dismissed for not matching the game he displayed in Barcelona and in the Spanish league. In that tournament he played his last match in the national team, on July 16, 2011 in the elimination on penalties against Uruguay after equalizing 1-1 in regulation time.
Participation in Tournaments
| Cup | Headquarters | Outcome | Parties | Goles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIFA Confederations Cup 1995 | Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia
| Subfield | 3 | 0 |
| Copa America 1995 | Uruguay Uruguay
| Final rooms | 3 | 0 |
| 1998 Football World Cup | .svg){kind=small} France
| Final rooms | 5 | 1 |
| Copa America 1999 | Paraguay Paraguay
| Final rooms | 3 | 0 |
| 2002 Football World Cup | South Korea South Korea and Japan Japan
| First phase | 3 | 0 |
| Copa América 2004 | Peru Peru
| Subfield | 6 | 0 |
| FIFA Confederations Cup 2005 | Germany Germany
| Subfield | 5 | 0 |
| Copa América 2007 | Venezuela Venezuela
| Subfield | 6 | 0 |
| Copa América 2011 |  Argentina
| Final rooms | 4 | 0 |
Personal records
Updated as of December 26, 2013.
Record number of appearances with Inter Milan
Javier Adelmar Zanetti, is the Argentine player with the most appearances in the Italian Serie A (615), and the third player in the history of Calcio, behind the Italians Gianluigi Buffon (648) and Paolo Maldini (647). He is the Inter Milan player with the most appearances played: he holds the record for total appearances in the Nerazzurri jersey with a total of 849. With the game at Novara (2011-2012 season) he surpasses Giuseppe Bergomi as the player with more appearances in the history of the club, of which he has been captain of the first team since August 29, 1999.
In addition, he is the player who has played the most times in the Milan derby for the Inter team with a total of 47 games played, and the second in the history of the classic only surpassed by Paolo Maldini (56) of AC Milan.
In August 2012, Zanetti would reach 800 official matches with Inter, in the away victory against FC Vaslui from Romania by 2-0. The match corresponded to the first leg of the Play-off of the UEFA Europa League 2012-13. The duel, moreover, was defined with goals from fellow Argentines Esteban Cambiasso and Rodrigo Palacio. In addition to having withdrawn the number of his dorsal at Inter Milan for the merits of the eternal captain of Inter.
Record appearances with the Argentine national team
Currently, the "Pupi" Zanetti is the third Argentine player with the most appearances in the history of his team, with 142 games played and 5 goals, just below Javier Mascherano (147) and Lionel Messi (160).
| Ranking | Player | Matches played | years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lionel Messi | 160 | 2005-Presente | |
| Javier Mascherano | 147 | 2003-2018 | |
| Javier Zanetti | 145 | 1994-2011 |
More than 1000 professional matches played
On May 11, 2011, Javier Zanetti became the 14th player and first from Argentina to reach 1,000 professional caps.
At the time of his retirement, he reached the figure of 1,114 professional games played, ranking fifth in history, only behind Peter Shilton (1,390), Rogerio Ceni (1,234), Roberto Carlos (1,130) and Ray Clemence (1118).
Total statistics in clubs
Updated statistics at the end of his career
| Club | Div. | Season | League | Cups Nationals | Cups International | Other drinks *** | Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part. | Goles | Part. | Goles | Part. | Goles | Part. | Goles | Part. | Goles | ||||||
| Workshops (RE)Argentina | 2. a | 1992-93 | 33 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 1 | |||
| Total club | 33 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 1 | |||||
| BanfieldArgentina | 1. a | 1993-94 | 37 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 1 | |||
| 1994-95 | 29 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 3 | |||||
| Total club | 66 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 66 | 4 | |||||
| Inter de Milan Italy  Italy | 1. a | 1995-96 | 32 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 2 | |||
| 1996-97 | 33 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 4 | |||||
| 1997-98 | 28 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 2 | |||||
| 1998-99 | 34 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 50 | 4 | |||||
| 1999-00 | 34 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 2 | |||||
| 2000-01 | 29 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 0 | |||||
| 2001-02 | 33 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 2 | |||||
| 2002-03 | 34 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 53 | 1 | |||||
| 2003-04 | 34 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 0 | |||||
| 2004-05 | 35 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 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 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 0 | |||||
| 2013-14 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | |||||
| Total club | 615 | 12 | 71 | 3 | 159 | 5 | 13 | 1 | 858 | 21 | |||||
| Total in your career | 714 | 17 | 71 | 3 | 159 | 5 | 13 | 1 | 957 | 26 | |||||
| |||||||||||||||
Statistical summary
| Equipment | Country | Parties | Goles | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Workshops (RE) | Argentina
| 33 | 1 | 0.03 |
| Banfield | Argentina
| 66 | 4 | 0.06 |
| Inter de Milan | ItalyItaly
| 858 | 21 | 0.02 |
| Selection Sub-23 | Argentina
| 12 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Absolute Selection | Argentina
| 145 | 5 | 0.03 |
| Total | 1114 | 31 | 0.03 |
Honours of Prizes
National titles
| Title | Club | Country | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cup Italy | Inter de Milan | ItalyItaly
| 2004-05 |
| Supercopa de Italia | 2005 | ||
| Series A | 2005-06 | ||
| Cup Italy | 2005-06 | ||
| Supercopa de Italia | 2006 | ||
| Series A | 2006-07 | ||
| Series A | 2007-08 | ||
| Supercopa de Italia | 2008 | ||
| Series A | 2008-09 | ||
| Series A | 2009-10 | ||
| Cup Italy | 2009-10 | ||
| Supercopa de Italia | 2010 | ||
| Cup Italy | 2010-11 |
International Titles
| Title | Equipment | Headquarters | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pan American Games | Argentina | Argentina
| 1995 |
| UEFA Cup | Inter de Milan | Paris
| 1997-98 |
| UEFA Champions League |  Madrid
| 2009-10 | |
| FIFA World Cup of Clubs | United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates
| 2010 |
(*) Including selection
Individual awards
| Distinction | Year |
|---|---|
| Nominated for the Golden Ball | 1996 |
| Pallone d'Argento Award for Serie A | 2002 |
| Awarded as one of the "FIFA 100" | 2004 |
| Ideal Team America Cup 2007 | 2007 |
| Alumni Gold Award | 2007 |
| Increased number of presences in the Argentina Selection (145) | 2007-2018 |
| Konex Award - Merit Diploma | 2010 |
| Increased number of presences in Inter de Milan (854) | 2011-presente |
Work outside of football
Together with his wife, Paula, they created the "Fundación P.U.P.I." (Por Un Piberío Integrado) for the social recovery of poor and needy children in Argentina. For this reason, for his charisma and good sportsmanship, he received the Ambrogino d'Or, the most important prize awarded each year in the city of Milan, where he is an idol and captain of Inter Milan. For his contribution, the foundation was recognized with the Special Mention of the Konex Awards in 2020.