.Javier Zanetti saluted the crowd and pledged as a director he will “defend Inter the way I defended it on the pitch.”
This was Zanetti’s last Serie A game at San Siro after 856 appearances in all competition, 21 goals and 19 years.
He was led out between teammates, peers, club members and Presidents before taking the microphone.
“Thank you everyone,” he said. “You’ve no idea how emotional this moment is. To say you are all fantastic is not enough.
“I want to thank everyone who has been close to me at any moment.
“My only desire was to defend and honour the Inter jersey in any country all over the world. I learned to love it thanks to you. I ask you to love this club, just as I will love it forever. Amala.
“I want to thank my wife Paula and the wonderful family we raised together. My father, who is in front of the television in Argentina right now and didn’t want to come here.
“I thank my mother in the Heavens, who is certainly as happy as I am right now. I thank the Moratti family, who in all these years have shown faith in me.
“I thank President Thohir, who allows me to continue in this wonderful Inter family, which was always my dream.
“I thank my fantastic teammates, those of this season and every year before that, who showed me so much respect and affection.
“I am happy for this wonderful career wearing this jersey, which I truly love. Now I must do something else. I don’t know if I will do it well, but I can say that I will defend Inter the way I defended it on the field.
“Thank you for having loved me. I truly love you.”
Afterwards Zanetti called out each of his teammates expected to leave this summer: Walter Samuel, Diego Milito, Esteban Cambiasso and Luca Castellazzi.
- The player with the most appearances for Inter (856);
- The most decorated player in Inter history (16 trophies);
- The player with the most caps for the Argentine national team (145);
- The foreign player with most Serie A appearances (613);
- The Inter player with the most appearances in the Serie A, Italian Super Cup and UEFA competitions;
- The Inter player with most appearances in the UEFA Champions League (105);
- The player with most consecutive appearances for Inter in the Serie A (137);
- The oldest player to score in the Club World Cup (37 years and 127 days old);
- The Inter player with the most appearances in the Milan derby (47);
- The player with the most Champions League appearances as a captain (82);
- The oldest foreign player to have played a Serie A match (Inter v Napoli on 26 April 2014, when he took to the pitch at 40 years and 259 days old).
I have absolutely no problems being called a Zanetti fan. Of all the football players I have seen on TV or in a stadium in over 25 years of watching the game, I know no player with more admirable qualities that Javier Zanetti.
We all have a favorite "Inter moment". My favorite Inter moment did not even happen during a game. It was after one. That magical night in Madrid. Its was perhaps 10 minutes or so after the final whistle, we all were celebrating the win jumping up and down in the stand, hugging complete strangers, united by the only bond that mattered that night - the bond among Inter brothers. There was a huge giant of a man next to me, a black guy from Norway who had also started supporting the club in the 80s like me - he was shouting on top of his voice, delirious with joy, lost in emotion. We were cheering each player as they passed by our stand... and then il capitano started walking towards us.
The stand went absolutely crazy in anticipation, and I was about to join the screaming when I caught a better glimpse of Zanetti's face... he was crying, uncontrollably, looking in our direction but not really looking at anyone. And in what was probably an instant but seemed like an eternity, my entire life as an Inter fan flashed by... The years and years of pain, suffering after every game, every heart-break, every season of milan/juve fans mocking us, everything that led to that magical night. Tears swelled up in my eyes, and suddenly I became very conscious of what was happening around me... the stand had become very quite... and emotional. There was sobbing, it was coming from the Norwegian. It was in that moment that I understood. I understood how Zanetti felt, what he was going through... its a moment which will stay fresh in my memory throughout my life, and perhaps for everyone else in that stand.
A lot of Inter fans these days started supporting the club during the Mancini or Mourinho era. Most of them can imagine what Zanetti means to this club. But it is quite impossible for them to really understand... because there are no stats that can recreate those memories and emotions, and there are no words that can do justice to it. Fans who have been supporting Inter through our darkest era have a special connection with each other, and with our legendary captain. It comes from what we have experienced, the emotions we have gone through while watching il capitano running up and down, fighting till the end in a losing battle, when most of his teammates have given up... never giving up. Again... and again... and again...
I am very proud of being a Zanetti fan. It is a privilege.
Cristiano Zanetti's named was listed in the bottom right. I forgot about him at first, thought Zanetti had been ''playing with'' himself