1) Javier Zanetti
Trending
When people think of Inter Milan, one name that always comes to every football fan’s mind is Javier Adelmar Zanetti. The Argentine is truly one of the greatest ever players to have played the beautiful game and certainly the greatest ever player to have worn the legendary blue and black jersey. Signed from Banfield in 1995 Zanetti played a record 858 matches for Inter Milan over a 19-year spell, of which 15 he spent wearing the captain’s armband.
Arriving as a shy teenager from Argentina, Zanetti would go on to become the captain of the Nerazzurri’s most successful era in their history. The Argentinean led the club to 15 trophies: five Scudettos, four Coppa Italia, four Supercoppa Italias (2005, 2006, 2008 and 2010), the UEFA Cup in 1998 and the 2010 Champions League.
That 2010 triumph, when Diego Milito’s double gave Inter a 2-0 victory over Bayern Munich, was Zanetti’s 700th match for Inter. He marked the occasion by becoming the first captain to win the treble with an Italian team.
When asked about Zanetti’s enthusiasm and professionalism even at the age of 35 Mourinho replied, “It’s an honour to coach him”.
Inter owner Massimo Moratti paid tribute to Zanetti after he broke Guiseppe Bergomi’s appearance record for the club: “He is a wonderful person, an equally wonderful athlete and I am happy he is so loved, because he deserves it.”
Most players forge a reputation through the brilliance of their football, but “El Capitano”, as he was affectionately known, was different. Zanetti’s stature was not formed by the things he did, but how he did them and how long he did them for. When Zanetti retired from football in 2014 Inter retired the number 4 jersey in homage of the legendary Argentine and made him the club’s vice president, which was the least they could do to repay for his contributions to the club.
To all the Inter fans he will always be remebered as the Capitano who led them to the historic treble in 2010, the captain of the ship.
