MILAN – It's the story of a captain in a legendary era that started with defeat and ended in triumph. A story of numbers: three, four and five. A story of hope, of dreams and unforgettable nights. Told in a soft South American accent. From Argentina, where Javier was born.
It's a very real story and it's now been turned into a film. Zanetti Story, produced by Enormous Films and distributed by Nexos Digital, is set for release at cinemas in Italy on 27 February 2015.
A preview showing was organised for the press today and afterwards the Inter vice president met with the many gathered journalists present.
He said: "You Italians adopted me when I arrived all those years ago and you know how much I care about Inter and the colours I defended. I want to be realistic and say that I never imagined I'd end up on the big screen. It came as a wonderful surprise and it was nice to be able to tell my story.
"Lots of famous people have taken the time to talk about me and I want to take this opportunity to thank them. What I liked most is the feeling and the emotion that people like Mourinho, for example, expressed while describing my life. It's been a lovely journey and I'm glad to have been able to share it with the fans."
Zanetti went on to comment on the current situation at the club.
"Roberto Mancini is a great coach and I know the lads are really bonding well together.
"Has he changed? Yes, perhaps he's a bit more laid back now. After achieving success with Inter he went to England and proved he's one of the best. But he's still the same great football man who helped me win trophies as a player.
"I see the lads working away during the week and I think they're putting a huge amount of effort into it. I'm glad the results are coming now and all their hard work is paying off. We need consistency and enthusiasm – they're the primary ingredients for success."
On the day that Inter's Primavera team won the Viareggio Tournament, Zanetti commented: "I wish them all the very best. I hope they can continue along the path they've been on to get this far. I'd also like to congratulate all the people who put passion, care and professionalism into the youth academy for their role in this victory. Well done all round."
Simone Scafidi and Carlo A. Sigon, the directors behind the film, were also present at today's press screening. "The starting point was that we're both Inter fans and we felt there was one basic idea at the heart of the Interista universe. The task involved a great deal of research and conveying of human values.
"We're proud that Javier feels our film gives a good representation of him. We enjoyed telling his story through the thoughts of other people who have been a part of Zanetti's life."
The first public screenings will take place across Italy on Friday 27 February. You can find a list of participating cinemas here.
