Zanetti is not a great player; he’s a football living legend. The kind that doesn’t need a trophy to command respect from everyone. He’s Argentina’s greatest defender and shall forever be mentioned in the same breath as Baresi, Maldini, Fachetti or Bergomi. This is why I adore him:
Quality. As a player he is complete. He does not only attack and he does not only defend. He is technically gifted but he is also quite physical. He is fast but also solid. His intelligence is beyond question.
Versatile. His natural position is right back, but he’s comfortable playing as a left back and a left midfielder. He’ll do anything to help his team in any possible way.
Hard Work. He holds a club record of 149 consecutive appearances (137 consecutive serie-A matches, from 25 October 2006 – 28 March 2010) at the age of 36! Even more impressive is the fact that only in one game in this season that he did not play the entire 90 minuets (when he came on as a substitute in the Coppa Italia). Zanetti has appeared in more Serie A matches in history than any other non-Italian player. (Makes me wonder what kind of methods he does to stay fit all the time)
Fair. For ten years, from 1999-2009, Zanetti didn’t received a single red card (Mascherano take note!)
Loyalty. 15 years and over 500 appearances for Inter Milan, at his peak the man could walk in every team in this entire universe. But Zanetti chooses to stay with Inter, despite he only have 1 medal (UEFA Cup) for the first 10 years of his service. He rejected Real Madrid, more than once. The likes of Paolo Maldini or Ryan Giggs were lauded too for their loyalty, but sometimes we forgot that it’s easy to stay on a winning team. Zanetti pledge his heart for a perennial underachieving team for years. He went to training only a couple of days after his wedding ceremony. No honeymoon, no nothing. Inter always come first in his life.
Oozes class. Look at him; just take a deep look at him. Nice haircut, no tattoos, shirt tucked in, socks pulled up properly.
A true leader. When Mourinho arrived at Milan, he said that he was lucky that Zanetti is the captain of Inter. It made his job so much easier.
Professional. You know, Zanetti never get drunk.
Graceful. When he was left out of the Argentina’s World Cup squad, in favor of Lionel Scaloni, he did not hold begrudged Peckerman for one second. He said: “I don’t know if there are any footballing or non-footballing reasons. But I can sleep peacefully because I have given so much to my national team, and I still feel a player of the Argentine national team. I’m certainly not Pekerman’s kind of player.” The same thing happens again when Maradona stripped his captaincy for no apparent reason. Zanetti did not throw a fit and continued to play on without stirring up anything in the media.
Philanthropy. Zanetti and his wife Paula created the Fundación PUPI (PUPI foundation) in Argentina for the social integration of poor children.
At May 2005 Zanetti received a letter from the Mexican Zapatista rebels based in the southern state of Chiapas. The letter said: “I challenge you to a match against a team from the Zapatista national liberation army, at a time and a place to be determined. Given the affection we have for you, we’re not planning to submerge you in goals. As we wait for your reply, we’ll continue with our rigorous training regime.”
Zanetti replied: “It is not a problem for me if [the club] accept the challenge. I’d be willing to go.” He also also wrote a letter to express his support for the rebels’ “struggle to maintain your roots and fight for your ideals”.
This is my favorite: He chooses Rolling Stone over the Beatles and his favorite movie is “When a Man Loves a Woman”.
Tra i nerazzurri c’e
Un giocatore che
Dribbla come Pele
Vai Zanetti alee eh o!
Quality. As a player he is complete. He does not only attack and he does not only defend. He is technically gifted but he is also quite physical. He is fast but also solid. His intelligence is beyond question.
Versatile. His natural position is right back, but he’s comfortable playing as a left back and a left midfielder. He’ll do anything to help his team in any possible way.
Hard Work. He holds a club record of 149 consecutive appearances (137 consecutive serie-A matches, from 25 October 2006 – 28 March 2010) at the age of 36! Even more impressive is the fact that only in one game in this season that he did not play the entire 90 minuets (when he came on as a substitute in the Coppa Italia). Zanetti has appeared in more Serie A matches in history than any other non-Italian player. (Makes me wonder what kind of methods he does to stay fit all the time)
Fair. For ten years, from 1999-2009, Zanetti didn’t received a single red card (Mascherano take note!)
Loyalty. 15 years and over 500 appearances for Inter Milan, at his peak the man could walk in every team in this entire universe. But Zanetti chooses to stay with Inter, despite he only have 1 medal (UEFA Cup) for the first 10 years of his service. He rejected Real Madrid, more than once. The likes of Paolo Maldini or Ryan Giggs were lauded too for their loyalty, but sometimes we forgot that it’s easy to stay on a winning team. Zanetti pledge his heart for a perennial underachieving team for years. He went to training only a couple of days after his wedding ceremony. No honeymoon, no nothing. Inter always come first in his life.
Oozes class. Look at him; just take a deep look at him. Nice haircut, no tattoos, shirt tucked in, socks pulled up properly.
A true leader. When Mourinho arrived at Milan, he said that he was lucky that Zanetti is the captain of Inter. It made his job so much easier.
Professional. You know, Zanetti never get drunk.
Graceful. When he was left out of the Argentina’s World Cup squad, in favor of Lionel Scaloni, he did not hold begrudged Peckerman for one second. He said: “I don’t know if there are any footballing or non-footballing reasons. But I can sleep peacefully because I have given so much to my national team, and I still feel a player of the Argentine national team. I’m certainly not Pekerman’s kind of player.” The same thing happens again when Maradona stripped his captaincy for no apparent reason. Zanetti did not throw a fit and continued to play on without stirring up anything in the media.
Philanthropy. Zanetti and his wife Paula created the Fundación PUPI (PUPI foundation) in Argentina for the social integration of poor children.
At May 2005 Zanetti received a letter from the Mexican Zapatista rebels based in the southern state of Chiapas. The letter said: “I challenge you to a match against a team from the Zapatista national liberation army, at a time and a place to be determined. Given the affection we have for you, we’re not planning to submerge you in goals. As we wait for your reply, we’ll continue with our rigorous training regime.”
Zanetti replied: “It is not a problem for me if [the club] accept the challenge. I’d be willing to go.” He also also wrote a letter to express his support for the rebels’ “struggle to maintain your roots and fight for your ideals”.
This is my favorite: He chooses Rolling Stone over the Beatles and his favorite movie is “When a Man Loves a Woman”.
Tra i nerazzurri c’e
Un giocatore che
Dribbla come Pele
Vai Zanetti alee eh o!
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