As we approach the Champions League final between Manchester City and Inter Milan, we visited Nerazzurri and Argentina legend Javier Zanetti at his restaurant in Milan to discuss the match, his love for Inter, and his recent collaboration with Pantofola d’Oro.
Javier Zanetti is a rare breed in football… while he can’t quite claim the one club status of greats such as Totti, Maldini, Scholes and Puyol, he comfortably sits in the same bracket as your Gerrard’s of this world, having dedicated the majority of his playing career to just one club, and in the Argentinian’s case, it was Inter Milan. With the Italian side he found great success, most notably playing a key role in the treble success of 09/10. Now his beloved Inter are the only thing standing in the way of a Manchester City treble, and Zanetti will simply be watching on with the rest of us, powerless to influence the result and yet desperate for his side to upset the odds.
Of course, if Inter were able to derail City’s plans, it would be quite the year for Zanetti. See, his love for Inter is matched only by his love for Argentina, for whom he holds the prestige of being third on the all-time appearance list. No mean feat when you consider some of the greats that the South American nation has produced over the years. Having been in Qatar and been part of the celebrations on the pitch following Argentina’s historic World Cup win, an Inter victory really would be the cherry on the cake.
And these two loves – Argentina and Inter – were the focus of a recent collaboration for Zanetti, as he partnered with Italian craft masters, Pantofola d’Oro, for two pairs of special Lazzarini boots, produced to raise funds for his charity, Fundación P.U.P.I.
With all of this in mind, we thought it was the perfect time to pay Zanetti a visit, getting his take on the Champions League final, his thoughts on playing for both club and country and what it’s like having to watch both now his playing days are over, accepting he no longer has any influence over the results, as well as touching on his Pantofola Collaboration.
We’re sitting in your restaurant in Milan, surrounded by incredible mementos of your career. How do you feel having so many memories and moments to remember?
Let’s say that this restaurant shows lots of career memories I have with my many football colleagues and strong opponents who played against me. They all wanted to give me a personal memento of them they really valued, and to me this is important.
Do you have a favourite memento from the collection?
For me, it would be Roberto Baggio’s boots, I think. He was not just an invaluable player to the teams he played for, but also an extraordinary person who I was lucky to meet when playing for Inter Milan. He’s a person who loves my country, Argentina, and he visits a lot, and when he gave me his boots, that was a very special moment for me.
If you could describe your career in three words, what would they be?
Passion, determination and work ethics.
You dedicated almost your whole career to a specific club, which is not something common in this sport, in modern times especially. What made you feel so at ease playing for Inter Milan?
I felt straight away that I was part of the family. As a young foreign player with a different culture and language, I arrived in Italy and Inter Milan welcomed me instantly. This is invaluable to me, as I never put the economic side first, but the human one, the most important to me.
In the future, do you think we will see many players sticking with a club for such a prolonged period, as you did?
I don’t think things are the same now, this is a new generation and it’s more difficult, because the football market is more dynamic. I do hope we will be able to get back to those times, as being part of a historic football team is a very special and unique experience.
Let’s talk about your collaboration with Pantofola d’Oro. Can you tell us what it means to be associated with an iconic brand like them and how did the collaboration come about?
First, it’s a huge emotion. It started with a lunch meeting, where we talked about some ideas that we agreed upon. This is particularly important to me since it has a social purpose, given that my association is part of it, and we’re talking about helping people in need. This is why with Pantofola d’Oro we straight away agreed to work together on this project.
We’ve been working on it for a little while, as it takes time, ideas. Straight away, the Pantofola d’Oro experts sent some prototypes to check and select. Honestly, they were brilliant, they have fantastic ideas and I believe these boots will be popular.
We obviously settled on the idea of having two boots, one to represent my beloved home country, and the other, Inter Milan, a football team I support, love, and that is part of myself.
We settled on the idea of having two boots: one to represent my beloved home country, and the other, Inter Milan, a football team I support, love, and that is part of myself."
Do you love your national team and Inter Milan in the same way, or is there a difference for you?
Love is unique, it’s for both teams. Feelings may differ, but it’s an intense, deep love and, to be honest, representing my home country anywhere in the world and Inter Milan has always been a source of pride for me.
If you could wear these boots in any Argentina or Inter Milan match, which matches would they be?
That's easy. I would wear these boots in a crucial final match for Inter Milan, and then for the national team, certainly at a World Cup. That would be amazing.
Let’s talk about the final of the World Cup. How did it make you feel?
I am extremely happy as I followed the Argentinian team, I arrived on the first day that the World Cup started, and I could see fist hand what many Argentinian fans in Qatar felt. After the final, I got the chance to meet the players, whom I know, on the pitch and I hugged them all because they gave an incredible joy to the whole country.
It’s an intense, deep love and, to be honest, representing my home country anywhere in the world and Inter Milan has always been a source of pride for me."
Did you watch the celebrations of the fans in Argentina and how did you feel?
I believe we’re still celebrating, and we will continue for the next four years! It was an immense joy, when a World Cup is played the whole country stops and follows it. There were five million Argentinian people that wanted to greet the Argentina squad in their tour to show the cup and celebrate the victory with the fans parading through Buenos Aires, and the squad couldn’t even finish the tour and had to go back! There you understand the passion for the national team.
In your opinion, how and why do you think Argentina won the World Cup?
It think it was all down to the team spirit they created. They wanted to do something important for our country since the beginning, and they sought that at any price. There was a generosity and availability from all players, and this is why the Argentina squad won the World Cup.
Bit of an odd question to ask you, but do you see yourself as a football legend as the fans do?
Yes, I do, and I like to be seen by fans like this. Being a legend for my fans and my family is something I can be proud of, as I had the opportunity to play in World Cups myself, so I knew what the squad were feeling. I have the third highest appearances for Argentina, for whom many very talented footballers have played, so it’s an honour. To me, representing my home country anywhere in the world has been the best feeling.
Inter Milan will be playing against a great team and has the chance to be part of history, as being in a Champions League final doesn’t happen very often."
Thinking about the Champions League final between Manchester City and Inter Milan, a crucial match for both football teams, how do you feel about it?
The feeling is that Inter Milan will be playing against a great team and has the chance to be part of history, as being in a Champions League final doesn’t happen very often. The team has got this opportunity and I think they will play their best and strive to succeed.
If I had the chance to speak with the Inter players, I’d tell the players to remember all the effort they made to get to that match, that it’s just the last step left. I’d encourage them by saying that everything is possible and to do all their best.
Have your feelings for Inter Milan changed since you’re not playing anymore for them?
No, my feelings are even stronger, as, when I played, I released the emotions on the pitch, while now, sitting on the stands, they build up. I always feel very strongly when Inter Milan plays.
To be honest, I’m more nervous than when I played! In the stands I look around and follow the match and I can't do anything to help!
Shop the Pantofola d'Oro Lazzarini Zanetti x P.U.P.I. boots at prodirectsport.com/soccer
