Inter Vice-President Javier Zanetti is glad to see that Lautaro Martinez has become such an important figure at the club.

Speaking to Argentine newspaper Pagina12 in an interview published in yesterday’s print edition, Zanetti praised his fellow Argentine for the role that he has taken up within the Nerazzurri.

Martinez signed a contract extension until the end of June 2026 earlier in the season, and he has been proving his importance not only on the pitch, but as a leader and a symbol of the team.

Zanetti is pleased with the 24-year-old’s development, as he has cemented himself as one of the most recognizable figures of an Inter team who have bounced back from a difficult summer to enjoy scintillating form this campaign.

The Nerazzurri Vice-President is proud to see this growth from a striker who he always believed in when he was brought to the club.

“The truth is that I am very happy with Lauti’s form,” he said, “because when we bought him our vision for him was now focused on the immediate future, but rather on what he could achieve over the next three or four years.”

“He has grown a lot,” he went on, “and this is to his credit because he always wants to improve.”

Zanetti explained that “He has gradually gained an important place in the team, and today he is a reference point for fans and teammates.”

He added that “It makes me happy as an Argentine as well, because I see that he is proving himself with the national team as well.”

Reflecting on Inter’s success over the past couple seasons, Zanetti said that “We managed to win the league last year and then the Supercoppa just recently.”

“This is due to the excellent work of our coach and a very hard-working group of players,” he went on.

“Everyone within the team, the staff, and then fans have formed a very strong bond that has led us to these successes, and we’re continuing on at our best this season,” he explained.

“This team has a mentality that makes them always want to be at the top of the game,” he added. “They have a very clear identity and a lot of personality to overcome difficult moments.”

On his role as Vice-President, Zanetti reflected that “When I decided to retire from football and Inter offered me the role of Vice-President, I was very happy, but at the same time I knew I was taking on a great responsibility.”

“That’s why I ended my journey as a player and started from zero as a director,” he went on. “It was clear to me that I had to prepare, and I enrolled in a university to study, because my role is not exclusively related to sport and I wanted to have a complete 360 degree vision.”

Zanetti continued that “It’s nice to feel that I’m contributing in many areas and there are always things to do. I’m always continuing to learn from this new life.”