People often let players who are less on the flamboyant side of the game slip their mind once their career is over. One such star was Javier Zanetti!
The Argentine was considered to be a complete player, and his versatility was certainly an asset to Inter Milan, whom he represented for just under 20 years.
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The former Argentina international began his career in Argentina at Talleres before joining Banfield in 1993. He spent two years there before making his life-altering move to Inter in 1995.
He spent the rest of his career at the Italian giants and retired after a 20-year spell of excellence. He was also appointed the club's captain in 2001. After that, the armband was glued to his sleeves until he announced that he would be hanging up his laboured boots in 2014.
By the time his career came to an end, he had won all that he could! Zanetti boasts an incredible trophy cabinet that features a UEFA Champions League title, five Serie A medals, four Supercoppa Italianas, one UEFA Cup and a FIFA Club World Cup.
In addition to holding the Nerazzurri's appearance record, the player also holds the record for the most trophies won with the Italian giants.
On the international stage, the man who was described by one of his former managers as being able to cover any position on the football pitch made 145 appearances for Argentina, and was a member of the squad when the national side competed in the Copa America in 1995, 1999, 2004, 2007 and 2011.
Additionally, he represented his country at the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cups, and was also part of the side that went to the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, United States, and returned home with a silver medal.
The player who was sent off only twice in his entire professional career is popular among his former teammates, opposition players, and managers, with many of them praising his ability and his character since he hung up his boots.
Former Inter manager Roberto Mancini praised all of the quality he possessed, saying, per Sempreinter: "I can say without a shadow of a doubt that every coach in the world would love to have a player like him, because of the professionalism and the quality he takes with him onto the pitch and because, apart from in goal he can play in any position. He is also an extremely upstanding individual, something that never goes amiss."
Even in the twilight of his career, the Argentine showed no signs that he had aged, giving it everything he had week in, week out.
Seemingly as a result, another one of his managers, Jose Mourinho, jokingly said that his passport had the wrong age on it.
"The player who surprised me the most was Zanetti. His passport cannot be telling the truth (claiming he was 35 at the time), it must be 10 years out, he's incredible."
Meanwhile, Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs described him as the toughest opponent he had ever faced!
"The most difficult opponent to play against was Javier Zanetti," the former Wales winger admitted.
"I faced Zanetti for the first time in the Champions League quarter-finals in 1999, he was the right-back and I was on the left.
"He impressed me with his qualities, his speed, power, intelligence and expertise. I played against him twice more and he was my most difficult opponent, a complete player."
The list of players who had such praise and who hold Zanetti in high esteem is a long one, and for the Inter Milan faithful, he will forever be regarded as one of the best players to have donned their iconic blue and black shirt.
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