Why legendary?
1) As of 2010, Zanetti has not received a red card in more than eleven years. The last time he was sent off was on 17 February 1999 in a Coppa Italia match against Parma.
2)On October 20, 2010, at 37 years and 71 days, Zanetti became the oldest player to score in a UEFA Champion's League game when he scored a brilliant goal in the first minute of the game. Inter went on to win the group phase game against Tottenham 4-3. This was Zanetti's second Champion's League goal. The first one came in December 1998 when Inter played SK Sturm Graz
3)At Inter, Zanetti has had 15 different coaches (list), making him the only player to have played under this many coaches. His current contract with Internazionale runs until 2013 after he extended his contract at the summer of 2010.
4) More than 15 years plying trade to Inter Milan until the day I've posted this.
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Today marked the second day for Argentina training session. Masa team arrive nobody got to see anything kerana semua player focused to rush into the stadium. Lagipun diorang sampai awal, aku pun sempat tengok halfway je players masuk stadium. Di Maria tersangatlah tinggi, Andres D'Alessandro tersanggatlah kerdil. Sadly, tak macam semalam(training day 1), this time around, siapa pun tak dibenarkan masuk. Its a closed session. So the best thing is to camp at the exit near the team bus prior to departure.
(crowd build up)
Gambar dia tas mencerminkan 15 minutes sebelum training habis. This is just like 30% of the real queue at the end.
We stand at the last line hoping the player will pause when queuing nak naik bas. Gosh apart from Argentina jersey, almost half of them pakai baju Messi. Only aku dengan Ansid(sebelah tu) ja geng Inter Milan... Kita orang dok kat spot sama from 7.10PM until 8.2oPM. Nekad. Mula2 bawak pen, poster and everything...but looking at the crowd, macam tarak harapan ja hari ni..
Finally the players march for departure...as predicted, memang diaorang tak berenti(just look on the video below)..kalau berenti pun 1-2 saat sign untuk budak2 ja. Aku simpan balik marker, angkat kamera taruk record view je lar..Aku pun sampai tak nampak apa2 dicelah kekalutan macha2 dan pare2 disitu...until Zahir zakap Zanetti marching..Check out the video..
Dengan lantas aku mencekangkan jersey belakang kadbod, kasi number "4" itu tersinar. Zanetti sudah kehadapan nak naik bas...lepas tu dia ternampak suatu yang familiar...bukan kertas, tapi "4" yang sungguh dikenali beliau. Tidak syak lagi, dia berpatah semula dari menaiki bas..aku menghulurkan baju itu...tetapi pen marker dalam poket. aku sempat kaut sebelah tangan,(sebelah pegang kadbod/jersey), tahan marker kat mulut sebab nak bukak penutup..last2 Zanetti tolong cabut pen marker dari mulut aku dan tolong sign. Tangan sudah penuh, tak sempat pegang kamera, redha je la apa yang record...
Orang lain pun tolak2 naik sign.. aku takut baju dia sign damage oleh marker2 berkeliaran, lantas terpaksa mengundurkan diri save baju tu seperti save yourself...tak sempat tengok remaining player yang nak blah.
(captain passing over ignoring the crowd)
Ini satu lagu angle diangkat oleh Ubikaya sebelum Zanetti patah balik sign baju aku...Probably I'm the only one managed to get his signature that day. For me, the sentimental value is bigger than getting to see Messi himself, Higuain, Pastore, Mascherano, Heinze,Demichelis ...or other Argentinian players on that day. What else you can ask more when Legendary Inter Captain signed on Centenary 100 yrs Inter Milan shirt. (probably Inter will retire his number near future)
(grandest collection)
My most grand collection - Live session autograph of Javier Zanetti on Centenary 100 yrs Inter Milan shirt with his name printed.
Today... argentina vs brazil.. 3 days in a row watching messi live.
