Legendary Inter captain and current club vice president Javier Zanetti has spoken on a range of Inter related topics in an Instagram Live chat which was broadcast on the official FIFA World Cup account.
He started by speaking about former Inter teammate Il Fenomeno Ronaldo.
“I still remember the goal he scored in the UEFA Cup final against Lazio when he skipped past Marchegiani. It was a great night and an extraordinary goal. Ronaldo was extraordinary.”
He then went on to speak about another former teammate of his in Adriano.
“He had enormous potential. I remember his first game with Inter against Real Madrid and he scored a free kick, which was like a missile, that went right into the top corner. It was tremendous. He had great physical strength, strong mentality and great quality. He was a great striker.”
Zanetti proceeded to discuss what the best moment of his playing career was.
“That night in Madrid. Not only because I had won the Champions League as captain of Inter, who had not won it for 45 years but also because I made my 700th appearance for Inter.
“It was a great night for me, my teammates and Inter fans. We won the treble and are the only Italian club to have done it.”
The former Argentine national team player progressed to discuss former Inter manager Jose Mourinho, who guided Inter to the historic treble win.
“He had great ability and personality and took care of all the details and was always so attentive to everything. He was a great motivator. Jose always made it clear that we could do more.
“We were a team of great players but also a group of great personalities and great men. We had two fantastic years under him.”
Zanetti then looked back on his arrival at Inter which came way back in the Summer of 1995 when he arrived from Superliga Argentina side Banfield.
“It was a great change for me. In my head I was thinking about staying with Banfield and growing and maybe end up at a big club in Argentina then go to Europe but when I joined Inter I had to be prepared.
“It was a great responsibility to take on and I didn’t know whether I was ready for a club like Inter or to play in Italy. From my first moments at Inter I released this was a club who had the right values. Inter is family.”
Zanetti then reminisced about being made Inter captain in 2001 when he replaced Ronaldo as club captain.
“It was a wonderful experience. I always wanted my teammates to respect me on and off the pitch and wearing the armband was both an honour and a privilege.”
Upon his retirement in 2014, he took up his current role as vice president of the club and he then gave an insight into what it is like.
“When I was getting ready to retire from football, I always felt that I could then contribute as a part of the management team. When I finished playing I was asked to be vice president and I understand that it is an important role and requires responsibility.
“I had to prepare myself so I studied finance and marketing at university in Milan because I did not want to be a vice president only dedicated to the sporting side of things.
“I work in a team with others and I like it. Everyone has something that they can give. Teamwork is needed to help the team win on the pitch.”
Next he recalled his last game as an Inter player at San Siro which came against Lazio.
“It was fantastic. It was a great feeling because the whole stadium came to bid me farewell. If I could have I would have embraced everyone who was there. It is a moment that I will carry forever in my heart.”
In conclusion he went back to discuss the 2009/10 season, specifically the Champions League win and his celebrations after the match.
“My face after the match was deformed by the happiness of winning a historic trophy. In my first 10 years at Inter we only won a UEFA Cup but we knew our time would come and hard work always pays off. We then won everything. Raising the Champions League trophy was a unique feeling.”
