Former Nerazzurri captain Javier Zanetti, who is currently Inter’s vice president, explained the secrets that allowed him to play at the highest level until he hit 41 years of age during an interview with FoxSports.it.
The legendary number 4 stated that: “Strength has always been a fundamental and decisive aspect in my career, especially since I arrived in Italy in 1995, I have always done a lot of hard work, both with the team and on an individual level. A physically strong player will end up enduring fewer injuries and perform better. I have always played a lot, sometimes two or three times per week, and I thank my physical strength for that, I always felt better after a game and ready for the next one.
“I always did the leg press, I was lifting 500 kg and managed to lift up to 310 kg with a single leg. I calibrated the loads based on the explosive work needed, for example, Jose Mourinho really liked working with the ball, when we were with him we did a lot of high-intensity work with braking and changes of direction.”
Zanetti says he is convinced of the need to expand the staff that is dedicated to physical preparation.
“I believe that today there should not just be the athletic trainer, on the contrary, there is a need for specialized figures working on each specific aspect of physical conditioning.”
