F.C. Internazionale Milano

Zanetti Javier

Player's autograph

country: Argentina
born in: Buenos Aires
on: August 10 1973	position: Defender
height: 178 cm
weight: 75 kg

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An indefatigable right-back, Javier Zanetti defends and attacks with supreme confidence.

He grew up in the harbour area of Buenos Aires, in Dock Sud district.

Still as a child, Zanetti combined scholastic and working commitments, helping his bricklayer father without neglecting his passion for football.

He began playing football on a pitch in the suburbs of the city, and personally took care of pitch maintenance.

In 1992 at the age of just nineteen he met Paula, who became his wife seven years later.

Today, Paula Zanetti, daughter of a university teacher, dedicates herself to photography with good results, She enjoys 'immortalising' Javier from the touchline during Inter's home matches.

Javier Zanetti considers the most best moment of his career the UEFA Cup final Inter won in Paris thanks to the goal he scored.

His role model is former Inter player Lothar Matthaeus.

His favorite actors are Tom Cruise and Demi Moore, but his favourite film is 'When a Man Loves a Woman' with Andy Garcia and Meg Ryan.

Zanetti doesn't consider himself a superstitious person, but before each match does the sign of the cross when taking to the pitch, just like his best friend and former team-mate Ivan Zamorano.

Together with his wife Paula, Javier set up the Pupi Foundation, a charity organisation which helps underprivileged children in Argentina.

Zanetti made his 500th competitive appearance for the Nerazzurri in the Champions League home match against Bayern Munich on 27 September 2006.