Javier Zanetti has described the dramatic change in his working life after ending a 25-year playing career with Inter and moving into the club’s boardroom.
The former captain became Inter vice-president in 2014, but says the transition from footballer to executive required him to return to education and develop a new understanding of finance, marketing and the wider running of the club.
Speaking on Melissa Satta’s podcast The Long Game, in quotes reported by CalcioMercato.com, Zanetti also discussed his fitness regime and the reasons he believes he has maintained the same physique since his playing days.
“Everyone asks me the secret because I’m the same as I was 30 years ago. Honestly, I live day by day. Everything I do, I do with passion. I always train, every day if I can. When we go on holiday, I joke with my wife: ‘Listen, we can go anywhere, you choose. As long as there’s a gym.’”
Zanetti made a club-record 858 appearances for Inter between 1995 and 2014, leading the side as captain during their 2010 Treble-winning campaign.
Near the end of his career, he suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon, an injury that many believed could bring his playing days to an early conclusion. He returned within months but retired a year later.
“I didn’t want to end my career that way. I wanted at least one more game in front of my fans at San Siro. It was while I was having a shower that, for the first time, I said to myself: this is my last season. I could have carried on, but I always told myself it’s better to stop while you’re still doing well.”
The Argentine admitted that his first experiences as a director were a long way from the familiar routine of training alongside team-mates.
“I went from training with my teammates on a pitch for 25 years to a meeting of ten managers speaking English about finance and marketing. I started studying, and I’m still studying at Bocconi University. That’s the advice I can give young people: don’t wait until the end.”
Zanetti said he wants to contribute to areas beyond Inter’s sporting operations, including commercial work and social initiatives.
“I want to be an executive who isn’t only linked to the sporting side, but who can also be useful for marketing, social causes and all the projects we have to help our club grow. Talent alone isn’t enough. Talent needs to be fed every day, you have to train it.”
He also said clubs must give greater attention to players’ mental health. Inter already employ specialist staff in that area.
“Everyone thinks players are machines: they train, they play and they always have to be at 100 per cent. But it isn’t always like that. Many things in a person’s private life can affect performance. That’s where we have to be careful and work.”
