Former Inter goalkeeper Walter Zenga has praised striker Lautaro Martinez and argued that he has become the embodiment of the current Nerazzurri team.
In an interview published in today’s magazine edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport’s Sportweek, Zenga revealed that he had been alerted to Martinez’s potential by ex-Inter coach Luciano Spalletti, after the Argentine signed from Racing Club in 2018.
The former Italy goalkeeper was impressed with Martinez’s leadership on the pitch, with the 25-year-old emerging as a reliable and mature presence in coach Simone Inzaghi’s side.
“All I can say is that, on the pitch, Lautaro is today the most representative player of this Inter team,” Zenga declared.
“One day Luciano Spalletti, Inter coach at the time, told me that Lautaro would become a top striker. He was right.
“A leader leads a group of people towards a goal, he is someone who inspires and guides rather than orders. ‘So yes, Lautaro in this sense can be considered a leader because on the pitch he inspires others to constantly improve, as he has done over time.”
Zenga argued that the leadership role had changed in recent years due to greater exposure of players, whilst also revealed that the likes of Giuseppe Bergomi and Riccardo Ferri had been amongst the most important figures during his spell at Inter.
“Today, communication, social media, the fact of being constantly exposed both for better and for worse, has changed the concept a lot, especially considering the fact that we are in a ‘global’ market in every respect.
“Leaders in my Inter could have been Bergomi, Ricky Ferri, Beppe Baresi, but Matteoli or Malgioglio had their importance. You don’t need to be a starter to be a leader,” he concluded.
Zenga made 473 appearances for Inter between 1983 and 1994, winning two UEFA Cups and the Serie A title.
