PROFILE

JAVIER ZANETTI

CAREER

Javier Zanetti is the Argentinian that is the biggest veteran in Inter thesedays. He joined Inter the summer of 95 from Banfield in Argentina. He has ever since figured as a starter with us. He has practically played almost every match with us, and what a way he has done it.

He has forever been underrated and people hasn´t really acknowledged his skills. It is these last seasons that he has gotten the attention and was last season named the best right back in Serie A by several experts.

The most spectacular thing was when he season 98/99 played every match in the league. 34 matches!
The season after was the season he was named the captain of FC Internazionale di Milano.
It was a moment that we all could see coming. After all the transfers and players coming and going, it really seems like Zanetti is Inter all through and that he´s untouchable.

Javier Zanetti has still ONLY won one award in his career. It was the UEFA Cup with Inter the season 97/98.

AS A PLAYER

How can you describe him as a player, actually? It´s close to impossible!
But Javier Zanetti is one if not the most versitile player in the entire world. He has been gifted with so many skills that he has been used on almost every position ever since he joined Inter. He hasn´t complained either, and if he can contribute to Inter in any way, he does it.
But he is supposed to be a right flank player. But he can sure play at other positions too. When the great Moriero got his big breakthrough, we moved Zanetti as a left winger. And hell, he rocked there as well. The right footed Zanetti was even capable of being worldclass as a left winger.

Now he is figuring as a right back, where we last season could really see what amazing defensive skills he has. Zanetti is one of the best man to man players I have ever seen, both when it comes to offence and defence. His pace with the ball is magnificant and not many player can stop him without causing a foul.
Just watch him when he wins a ball, and then uses his pace and technique to get past any player that comes in his way. I can just open my mouth of joy and excitement.

Javier Zanetti has very few flaws, but if there is anything we can dig up, it´s his aerial skills. He´s not a good header, but definetely not a good jumper. That´s where all his mistakes is being exposed. He´s also not a typical goalscorer, and is way too humble sometimes. He´d prefer to pass a player instead of him crossing the ball himself. He´s a great crosser but he doesn´t allow himself to cross much at all.

He is a leader and a true sportsman. He was awarded last season with the "Fair Play" award. Very expected for the ones who watch this true gentleman on the pitch.

Javier Zanetti is to me the best player in the entire world. His versitality and something I haven´t mentioned yet is remarkable. That one thing is his consistency!. He makes maybe one-two bad matches during a whole season if he is unlucky. No one can pull off so many awesome matches in a row and make so many fine contributions to the team he loves for such a long period of time during a season.

I don´t know what else I can say to describe this un-humanlike player. He´s for me the best player in the world and I hope he retires with Inter and that he gets the Scudetto he has so much deserved after all these years of misery.

Jimmy Fredholm