Javier Zanetti

Javier ZanettiJavier Adelmar Zanetti (born 10 August 1973) is an Argentine footballer who plays for Serie A club Internazionale. Javier Zanetti has played for Inter since 1995, taking the captain’s armband in 1999. Known for his versatility, he is adept on both the left and right wing, having played on both flanks as a fullback as well as a winger. He slots into several midfield positions with ease, particularly as a defensive or central midfielder. Internationally, he holds the record of the most capped player in the history of the Argentine national team and has played in the 1996 Olympic tournament and in two World Cups, in 1998 and 2002.

Known as “Pupi” in Argentina, Zanetti was born in Buenos Aires, picking up the nickname “Il Trattore” (The Tractor) soon after his move to Italy where his strength, resilience, stamina, and his ability to run past opposing defenders when joining the attack from his right back position earned him notoriety. More recently, he plays in the right midfield. He ended a 4-year goal drought when he scored on 5 November 2006. In the national team, he is deployed as a right back but is able to switch between defense and attack easily. Read the rest of this entry »

Mario Kempes

kempes Mario KempesMario Alberto Kempes (born 15 July 1954 in Bell Ville, Córdoba) is an retired Argentine footballer. His father, Mario, also a footballer, inspired him to play from a young age. At the age of 7, he began playing with a junior team and at 14, he joined La Cuarta de Talleres. He is most notable for playing for Valencia and being the focal point of Argentina’s 1978 World Cup win.

Club career

Kempes was nicknamed El Matador (The Killer) from his time with Valencia, he won two consecutive Pichichis, scoring 24 and 28 goals in 1976–77 and 1977–78. His career started at local club Instituto before quickly moving on to Central, where he scored 85 goals in 105 matches and established himself as a notorious goalscorer. Famous as a hard-working forward, he used to strike from outside the penalty area with his surging runs goalwards and was not the traditional center-forward operating solely inside the box. Many defenders found difficulties handling his attacking style. Read the rest of this entry »

Giuseppe Meazza

Giuseppe MeazzaGiuseppe Meazza

Giuseppe “Peppino” Meazza (23 August 1910 – 21 August 1979) also known as il “Balilla”, Peppin in the Milanese dialect, and sometimes just Pepp, was an Italian footballer playing mainly for Inter in the 1930s, scoring 243 goals in 361 games for the club. He is still considered by many to be one of the greatest – if not the greatest – Italian players of all-time, as well as the greatest Italian forward of all time. He began his career as all out striker, but showed his skill and ability by also becoming an accomplished midfielder, playing for more than half of his career as inside forward. He was a great leader with excellent shooting and intoxicating dribbling skill, an eye for the pass and, despite his middle height, an exceptional heading ability [1]. Read the rest of this entry »