The eternal legend of Inter Milan!

Javier Zanetti: A lifelong blue and black, an eternal legend of loyalty.

In the world of football, loyalty and legend often do not coexist. Superstars pursue honor and go to wealthy families, but the real legends spend their entire lives sticking to a city. Javier Zanetti, a fighter from the Pampas grasslands in Argentina, wrote an epic of football that surpasses victory or defeat with 19 years of blue and black years.

1. From the son of the mason to the patron saint of Meachah.

Zaneti's football path began in the slums of Buenos Aires, his father was a bricklayer and his family was tight, but football gave him hope. In 1995, at the age of 22, he joined Inter Milan with his dream. At that time, the Nerazzurri was deeply trapped in the "star black hole" and had few honors, but he took root here and defended for 19 years. When he first arrived in Milan, he trained silently with two bags of sneakers, but no one cared about it. When he left, he was already the king of Meacha, with 858 appearances, the first in team history.

2. The price of loyalty: perseverance and waiting.

In the first ten years of Zanetti's career, Inter Milan was always suppressed by AC Milan and Juventus, and even experienced the dark moment of the "5.5 tragedy" in 2002 - the last round of the championship was lost, and the scene of him kneeling and crying broke countless fans' hearts. But he never wavered and rejected the invitation from giants such as Real Madrid and Manchester United, saying only: "I just want to retire in Inter Milan. If possible, what else should I do for the club after retirement."

In 2006, after the "phone gate" incident, Inter Milan finally ushered in a revival, and Zanetti also waited for his era. In 2010, at the age of 37, he won the Champions League trophy as the captain and completed the great achievements of the "triple crown". After the game, he hugged and cried with Mourinho - at this moment, he waited for 15 years.

3. Iron-drafted warrior, the soul of blue and black.

Zaneti's style of play is like his character: tenacious, versatile, and never tired. He is competent as a right back, midfielder and even a winger. He has only won 1 red card in 1,089 games in his career and is known as the "court gentleman". After a 0-6 defeat in Milan's derby in 2001, he faced the fire from the media alone; he was eliminated in the Champions League in 2003, and he held back tears to comfort his teammates; in 2013, the Achilles tendon ruptured in 2013, and at the age of 40, he still insisted on making a comeback just to wear a blue and black robe.

4. Farewell and eternity.

On May 11, 2014, Sanetti's farewell battle at Meazza Stadium. His captain's armband was filled with the names of all his teammates over the past 19 years. The fans of the audience shouted, "Sa, don't go!" The city's archenemy AC Milan paid a rare tribute: "Thank you, the most loyal opponent." After retirement, his No. 4 jersey was permanently sealed, and he continued to protect Inter Milan as vice chairman until he signed a lifelong contract.

5. Definition of loyalty.

Zaneti's legend is not in the Golden Globes or the World Cup, but in his life interpreting the word "loyalty". He once said: "Inter Milan is my home, and I never thought of leaving." In the modern football world where money is supreme, his story is like a fairy tale - a person, a city, a life of blue and black.

Now, there is no tireless figure on Meacha's right, but his name has long been engraved in the blood of Inter Milan. As the banner in the North Stand says, "We need 11 Zanettis." Because some legends never end.