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85-406: Fundación P.U.P.I. was founded in 2001 by now retired football player Javier Zanetti and his wife Paula. The name P.U.P.I. derives from Zanetti's nickname, which is El Pupi , but it is also a backronym for Por un piberío integrado (English: For an integrated childhood). Zanetti's own working-class background and upbringing in the notorious Buenos Aires district of Dock Sud led him to create

170-455: A midfielder . He is currently the vice-president of Inter Milan. Zanetti started his career in Argentina, first with Talleres , and then Banfield . From 1995 to 2014 he played for Italian club Inter Milan and was captain from 2001 until his retirement in 2014. Having participated in 1,115 official games, he is on the list of men's footballers with the most official appearances . He is also

255-494: A 1–0 victory. During the 1998 World Cup run, he neatly finished off a Juan Sebastián Verón free kick in the round of 16 match against England making the score 2–2. Zanetti celebrated his 100th cap by helping Argentina win their 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup semi-final over Mexico on 26 June 2005, in which he won the Man of the Match award. Despite having been part of the team during

340-422: A 1–3 loss to defending champions West Germany. In 1966 both again faced each other in the group stage which ended in a scoreless draw. In 2006, they met in the quarter-finals ; Argentina lost on penalties after a 1–1 draw, which was followed by a brawl on the pitch involving several players. They met again at the same stage in 2010 , this time ending with a 4–0 victory for Germany. They played each other for

425-459: A 2–2 draw where Argentina advanced on penalties, in what is known as the Battle of Lusail . A recurrent rivalry developed from the 1990s between Argentina and Nigeria , based not on geographical proximity, long-term battles for honours or factors outside football, but due to the frequency of significant matches between them. This has included five World Cup group matches, all won by Argentina by

510-564: A 3–3 draw after extra time. The team's World Cup–winning managers are César Luis Menotti in 1978 , Carlos Bilardo in 1986 and Lionel Scaloni in 2022. In addition, Argentina has also been very successful in the Copa América , with a record 16 titles, most recently winning the 2024 edition . They are also the only nation to have won the Copa América three consecutive times: they did it in 1945 , 1946 and 1947 . Furthermore, Argentina won

595-446: A boy in his early 20s from the very first day like Inter did with me. I will always be grateful for that. For some reason I have always felt at home here at Inter and this is why I have never thought of leaving. Zanetti made his debut for Inter on 27 August 1995 against Vicenza in Milan . He scored Inter's second goal in their 3–0 win over compatriots Lazio in the 1998 UEFA Cup final at

680-422: A call-up from the national team . First division giants River Plate and Boca Juniors displayed interest, but Zanetti decided to stay on for another year at the club. In 1995, along with fellow Argentine Sebastián Rambert , he transferred to Italy's Inter Milan , becoming team owner Massimo Moratti 's first-ever purchase. As a part of the squad for 19 seasons and with 858 appearances across all competitions, he

765-411: A chance to qualify and forcing Mexico to win against Saudi Arabia to qualify, which ended with Argentina and Poland qualifying and Mexico being eliminated alongside Saudi Arabia. This sense of rivalry is more keenly felt by Mexican supporters and media, since Argentines do not consider Mexico rivals like Brazil, Germany, Uruguay or England. Considered by sports media to be two historically great teams,

850-665: A charitable match at the San Siro, with former and current football stars, organised by Zanetti himself for the opening celebrations for the Expo 2015 in Milan, Inter officially retired Zanetti's number 4 jersey. Zanetti debuted for Argentina on 16 November 1994 against Chile under coach Daniel Passarella . He was called up for the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, making his competitive debut in team's opening group match against Japan which finished in

935-470: A commemorative plate by former vice-captain Iván Córdoba to mark the occasion. Though Zanetti is more often classified as a defender, he played mostly in midfield during the first half of the 2008–09 season . For the last several weeks of October 2008, with Inter coach José Mourinho facing a midfield crisis due to injuries to key midfielders Esteban Cambiasso and Sulley Muntari , he was moved again to

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1020-502: A field in the city suburbs, maintaining the pitch in his spare time. When he was a teenager, he tried out for local club Independiente 's youth academy, but was ultimately rejected and told that he lacked the physique to succeed in the game. Instead, he concentrated on school and worked as an assistant to his father with masonry as well as odd jobs such as delivering milk and helping out at a relative's grocery store. After his rejection from Independiente, Zanetti signed for Talleres , then

1105-716: A fierce rivalry which is one of the oldest in South America. Matches between the two teams, even those that are only friendly matches , are often marked by notable and controversial incidents. The rivalry has also been referred to as the "Battle of the Americas." FIFA has described it as the "essence of football rivalry". The rivalry has extended to comparisons between Pelé and Diego Maradona . Some of their countrymen also feature regularly in such debates. The next most notable pair are perhaps Garrincha (Brazilian) and Alfredo Di Stéfano (Argentine). The most dominant figures from

1190-521: A heart attack hours after Inter's triumph in 2011 Coppa Italia Final . He has published two autobiographies: Capitano e gentiluomo in 2010 and Giocare da uomo in 2013. Zanetti is a devout Catholic. Upon the 2013 election of fellow Argentine Pope Francis , Zanetti was invited to the Vatican for an audience with him. I must admit that [what] I feel at this moment is especially a thrill for all of us Argentines. [I] do not know him personally, but it

1275-451: A penalty by David Beckham who had been sent off in the tie four years earlier. Argentina has played Germany in seven FIFA World Cup matches including three FIFA World Cup finals: In 1986 Argentina won 3–2, but in the 1990 and 2014 it was the Germans who were the victors by a 1–0 scoreline both times. In 1958 they met for the first time in the group stage, where Argentina suffered

1360-517: A professional footballer playing for Inter against Roma in the second leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final. On 20 September 2011, Zanetti made the all-time appearance record in a Serie A clash against Novara , surpassing Giuseppe Bergomi. On 10 March 2013, Zanetti played in his 600th Serie A match for Inter, a 1–0 loss to Bologna at the San Siro. On 21 April 2014, in the 1–0 home win against Parma, Zanetti played his 1,100th official match, and became

1445-521: A purple away kit in a competitive match for the first time. In November 2024, Argentina released a kit commemorating the 50th anniversary of the beginning of their partnership with Adidas back in 1974. It was used in the qualifier match for the 2026 FIFA World Cup against the Peru national football team Argentina has used the logo of the Argentine Football Association as its emblem since it

1530-612: A rival like Brazil, England, Uruguay or Germany, in contrast to the West Africans who remain keen to finally overcome a more illustrious foe. Argentina has a long-standing rivalry with its neighbour, that came into existence from the early South American Championships , the 1928 Summer Olympics and the first World Cup final , held in 1930. Argentina and Uruguay hold the record for most international matches played between two countries. The two teams have faced each other 197 times since 1902. The first match between Argentina and Uruguay

1615-516: A second division team. With them, he played 33 matches and scored one goal in his only season, before moving in 1993 to the First Division club Banfield . A 20-year-old Zanetti debuted for Banfield on 12 September 1993 in a home match against River Plate . He scored his first goal 17 days later against Newell's Old Boys in a match that ended 1–1. His outstanding performances for Banfield gained popularity from El Taladro fans and also earned him

1700-554: A single goal margin: 2–1 in 1994 , 1–0 in 2002 , 1–0 in 2010 , 3–2 in 2014 and 2–1 in 2018 . The fixture is the most common in the competition's history involving an African nation, and has occurred in five of the six tournaments for which Nigeria has qualified. The sides also met in the 1995 King Fahd Cup (the predecessor to the Confederations Cup) as champions of their respective continents, drawing 0–0. Below full international level, their Olympic teams also faced off in

1785-563: A substitute goalkeeper for Uruguay, who had collapsed and died during a match against Chile at the 1919 South American Championship ; the match between Argentina and Brazil was organised by the Brazilian Football Confederation for the benefit of Chery's relatives. At the 1958 World Cup , Argentina wore the yellow jersey of Swedish club IFK Malmö against West Germany, as the team had arrived in Sweden without an away kit. At

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1870-677: A tactically intelligent and versatile player, who was capable of playing anywhere in midfield or in defence . He was primarily used as a wide midfielder or as a full-back or wing-back on either flank throughout his career, although he has also been deployed as a central defender , sweeper , or as a central or defensive midfielder . He was even deployed in more offensive roles on occasion. Zanetti has been praised for his determination, consistency, and work-rate, as well as his discipline and longevity, which he has attributed to his diligence in training sessions. On 23 December 1999, Zanetti married his long-time girlfriend Paula de la Fuente,

1955-459: Is a Pope who has lived in Buenos Aires, very humble and always always close to our people. Faith is so important in the world and us we are all close. I had the good fortune to meet Pope Ratzinger and now I expect to have the 'opportunity to meet the new national pope, it would be a great thrill for me and my whole family. [I] wish him all the best and again, for all of us as people of Argentina [it]

2040-433: Is a great feeling. Zanetti is a close friend of Dutch footballer Wesley Sneijder , whom he inspired to convert to Catholicism. Zanetti's elder brother Sergio is a former football defender. Javier Zanetti is not related to Cristiano Zanetti , an Italian who played alongside him for five seasons at Inter. In 2007, Zanetti collaborated with Italian singer Mina in a Spanish cover of the song " Parole parole ", found in

2125-477: Is administered by the Argentine Football Association , the governing body for football in Argentina . They are the reigning world champions, having won the most recent World Cup in 2022, earning their third star shown by the team's crest. Overall, Argentina has appeared in a World Cup final six times, a record equaled by Italy and surpassed only by Brazil and Germany . Argentina played in

2210-517: Is currently the team's longest-tenured player, and the first overall – surpassing Giuseppe Bergomi (758) – in the all-time list of Inter players by most games played. Throughout his stay with the club, he won 16 trophies, 15 of which came under his captaincy: the UEFA Cup in 1998 , the 2005, 2006, 2010 and 2011 Coppa Italia , the 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2010 Supercoppa Italiana , the 2005–06 , 2006–07 , 2007–08 , 2008–09 and 2009–10 Scudetti and

2295-447: Is in fact quite large, with about three hundred thousand per year in costs; in May 2009, the foundation takes care of over a thousand people, including children and their families. Javier Zanetti Javier Adelmar Zanetti ( Spanish: [xaˈβjeɾ aðelˈmaɾ saˈneti] , Italian: [dzaˈnetti] ; born 10 August 1973) is an Argentine former professional footballer . He

2380-457: Is regarded as one of the best players of his generation and one of the best right-backs of all time. He is well known for having dedicated almost his entire career at Inter Milan , having a key role in the historic treble -winning 2009–10 season . Zanetti was known for his versatility as well as his adeptness on both the left and right wing, having played mostly as a full-back or wing-back on both flanks, but also spending considerable time as

2465-500: The 1986 World Cup in Mexico, the then manager, Carlos Bilardo , asked the team's kit supplier, Le Coq Sportif , for lighter blue shirts for their quarter-final against England in three days, but they could not be provided. Then, a member of the coaching staff scoured the shops of Mexico City for 38 plain shirts, which were transformed with an improvised version of the AFA emblem embroidered on

2550-496: The 2006–07 season , Zanetti was moved from the right-back position into midfield . He ended a four-year goal drought when he scored on 5 November 2006 at a home match against Ascoli , having previously scored on 6 November 2002 at an away match against Empoli . On 27 September 2006, against Bayern Munich , Zanetti played his 500th professional match for Inter and on 22 November 2006, he appeared in his 100th UEFA match, against Sporting CP . Zanetti played an important role in

2635-408: The 2008 Supercoppa Italiana match over Roma, scoring his team's last penalty in a subsequent shootout win after the regular and extra time ended in a 2–2 draw; this was his first ever career penalty and the third Supercoppa Italiana title. Zanetti then celebrated his 600th match for Inter on 24 September 2008 with a 1–0 win over newly promoted Lecce . Minutes before the match, he was presented with

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2720-458: The 2009–10 UEFA Champions League . Zanetti went 12 years without being sent off in a match. The first time he was sent off in his career was on 17 February 1999 in a Coppa Italia match against Parma , but he broke his streak when he was sent off in a Serie A match against Udinese on 3 December 2011. These were the only two times he was sent off during his entire career at Inter. At Inter, Zanetti played under 19 different coaches , making him

2805-531: The Argentine Football Association for their outstanding careers with more than 48,000 people giving them a standing ovation . He was called again for the friendly against Japan at the Saitama in October 2010, but withdrew at the last minute due to injury. Zanetti was a member of Argentina's squad for the 2011 Copa América on home soil, starting in all four of the team's matches as they were eliminated by Uruguay in

2890-584: The FIFA Club World Cup . He also has the most appearances as captain in the Champions League (82). With the Argentina national team , Zanetti played in 145 games, a figure that makes him the player with the joint-third most appearances in the history of La Albiceleste , having formerly held the record from 2007 to 2018. With Argentina he reached the final of the Copa América in 2004 and 2007 , and

2975-670: The FIFA Confederations Cup in 1995 and 2005 . On retiring, Inter Milan retired Zanetti's number 4 jersey and named him as its vice president. He has been named an ambassador for the SOS Children's Villages project in Argentina by FIFA , and in 2005 he received the Ambrogino d'Oro award from the city of Milan for his social initiatives. Zanetti is also a Global Ambassador for the Special Olympics . Javier Adelmar Zanetti

3060-711: The FIFA Men's World Ranking . Argentina is known for having rivalries with Brazil , England , Germany , the Netherlands , Uruguay and France . The first ever match Argentina played was against Uruguay on 20 June 1902. The match, which was the first international for both sides, was held in Montevideo , and Argentina won 6–0. During the first years of its existence, Argentina only played friendly matches against other South American teams. The reasons for this varied, including long travel times between countries and

3145-506: The National Giuseppe Prisco Award . After the retirement of Roberto Ayala , Zanetti was given the captain's armband. In a World Cup qualification match against Bolivia on 17 November 2007, he became the highest capped player for Argentina. Zanetti remained a regular footballer under new coach Diego Maradona , although defensive midfielder Javier Mascherano took over as captain at Maradona's request. Zanetti's place in

3230-507: The Parc des Princes in Paris, his first silverware at the club, after losing in the final in the previous season. After two years, in which he consistently wore the captain band in place of the injured Ronaldo , Zanetti was rewarded with the club captaincy in late 2001. In August 2003, Zanetti signed a new contract with the club until June 2007. After the arrival of Maicon at the beginning of

3315-476: The first ever final in 1930, which they lost 4–2 to Uruguay . The following final appearance came 48 years later, in 1978 , when the team captained by Daniel Passarella defeated the Netherlands 3–1 in extra time, becoming world champions for the first time. Captained by Diego Maradona , Argentina won their second World Cup eight years later, in 1986 , with a 3–2 final victory over West Germany . They reached

3400-469: The group stage , the rivalry emerged during the late twentieth century, especially after the 1993 Copa América final , where Argentina beat Mexico 2–1. That was the first time a non- CONMEBOL nation played in a Copa América final, and the first final played between both sides. The rivalry has continued in club competitions, where Argentine and Mexicans first met in 1968 Copa Interamericana . The rivalry between both nations at club level increased during

3485-543: The inaugural FIFA Confederations Cup in 1992 and is the most successful team in the CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions , having won it twice, in 1993 and 2022 . The national team also won the Panamerican Championship in 1960 . In total, with 23 official titles won as of 2024, Argentina holds the record in senior official titles won. Argentines Guillermo Stábile in 1930 and Mario Kempes in 1978 were

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3570-520: The Argentines and Dutch have developed an intense rivalry. They have met ten times in total, including six times during the World Cup. The two teams first met on 26 May 1974 in an international friendly, won by the Netherlands 4–1. Their most high-profile matchup occurred in the 1978 World Cup final which was won by Argentina. One of the most recent and intense meetings happened in the 2022 World Cup ,

3655-616: The South American Football Championship, the Copa América , winning it 16 times; they were crowned champions most recently in 2024 . The team also won the inaugural FIFA Confederations Cup in 1992 and the CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions in 1993 and 2022 . In March 2007, Argentina reached the top of the FIFA Men's World Ranking for the first time. Argentina plays most of its home matches at River Plate's stadium, Estadio Monumental , in Buenos Aires , although

3740-516: The album Todavía . Zanetti is FIFA ambassador for the SOS Children's Villages project in Argentina, and has declared his support for the Mexican Zapatista rebels . Zanetti has also shown social conscience when in response to Argentina's economic crisis of 2001 , which threw millions of people into poverty, Zanetti, with his wife Paula, created the Fundación PUPI in Argentina for

3825-487: The counter-attack that led to Inter's second goal after dispossessing a Genoa player. Inter became the first team of the season to win by a five-goal margin. On 24 October, he reached Giacinto Facchetti 's record of 476 Serie A appearances when he turned out for the match against Catania , which ended in a 2–1 win for the Nerazzurri . Inter won the 2010 Champions League final 2–0 against Bayern Munich on 22 May 2010. This

3910-427: The crest in 2004, symbolising Argentina's World Cup titles in 1978 and 1986. In 2022, a third star was added after Argentina were crowned world champions for the third time. The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.    Win    Draw    Loss    Fixture The following 26 players were named in

3995-529: The daughter of a university lecturer. They met when he was 19 and she was 14 and dated for seven years prior to their marriage. They live near Lake Como , and they also own a restaurant called El Gaucho in Milan in the Navigli district, a popular tourist area. Paula currently works as a photographer. The couple have a daughter, Sol (born 11 June 2005), and two sons, Ignacio (born 27 July 2008) and Tomás (born 9 May 2012). Zanetti's mother, Violeta Bonazzola, died from

4080-697: The devastating effect it's having on our poorest children. I've always believed that our public actions need to take account of our social responsibility, Zanetti, along with his compatriot Esteban Cambiasso , founded this charity association to help coach young children with social isolation problems and motor coordination difficulties. Zanetti said that "this spirit lies at the base of all of Inter's initiatives for youngsters:" Argentina national football team The Argentina national football team ( Spanish : Selección de fútbol de Argentina ), nicknamed La Albiceleste ('The White and Sky Blue'), represents Argentina in men's international football and

4165-417: The final once more under the guidance of Maradona, in 1990 , but were ultimately beaten 1–0 by West Germany. A few decades later, Argentina, led by Lionel Messi made their fifth final appearance in 2014 , losing to Germany 1–0 after extra time. In 2022 , again captained by Messi, they were crowned world champions for the third time, the fourth-most of any country, beating France 4–2 on penalties, following

4250-479: The first competition held between South American national teams, considered the predecessor of Copa América , organised by the Argentine Football Association (AFA) in 1910. Most recently, Argentina played at GEBA on 19 October 1919, winning the Copa Premier Honor Argentino after a 6–1 victory over Uruguay. Furthermore, Estadio Sportivo Barracas is also considered a memorable venue for Argentina;

4335-492: The foreign player with the most appearances in Serie A (615), and holds the fourth-most appearances in the league, behind only Gianluigi Buffon , Paolo Maldini and Francesco Totti . He holds the record for the most appearances in the history of Inter (858), as well as the record for the most trophies won with the club, with 16; five Scudetti , four Coppa Italia , four Supercoppa Italiana , one UEFA Cup , one Champions League and

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4420-412: The foundation also seeks to integrate the children into the wider society with the assistance of psychologists, sociologists, counselors and social workers. At the beginning of the day, social workers accompany the children to school. When school is over, the children are taken to the foundation headquarters where they participate in extra-curricular activities such as sports and the fine arts. Children in

4505-510: The foundation to aid impoverished children. It initially began in Lanús , one of the most deprived districts of the Buenos Aires Province , but has since spread to other districts and townships in the province. The foundation is responsible for meeting the basic needs of children , to provide them food, education, health and aid for their families. In addition to providing daily necessities,

4590-528: The gold medal match in 1996 (3–2 to Nigeria) , and 2008 (1–0 to Argentina) . The final of the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship was also played between them; both Argentina goals in their 2–1 win were scored by Lionel Messi , who would go on to find the net for the senior team in the 2014 and 2018 World Cup fixtures. The sense of rivalry is more keenly felt on the Nigerian side, as Argentina has won almost all of their encounters, so they do not consider Nigeria

4675-583: The guidance of Maradona, they reached the final again, in 1990 , but ultimately lost 1–0 to West Germany, by a much-disputed penalty. Led by Lionel Messi , Argentina reached the final in 2014 , where they were beaten 1–0 by Germany in extra time. In 2022, again under the captaincy of Messi, Argentina won their third World Cup , beating France 4–2 on penalties, following a 3–3 draw after extra time. The team's World Cup–winning managers are César Luis Menotti in 1978, Carlos Bilardo in 1986 and Lionel Scaloni in 2022. Argentina has also been very successful in

4760-453: The interruption due to World War I . La Albiceleste has appeared in World Cup finals six times, including the first ever final on 30 July 1930, which they lost 4–2 to Uruguay. Argentina won their next final on 25 June 1978 , beating the Netherlands 3–1. Eight years later, in 1986 , Argentina led by Diego Maradona won their second title with a 3–2 victory over West Germany . Under

4845-565: The late 1990s, when Mexican clubs were invited to participate in Copa Libertadores , where they played memorable matches against Boca Juniors . During the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, some Mexican and Argentine fans had a fight in Doha prior to the match between both sides, among great animosity. Both supporters fought again inside Lusail Stadium after the match that Argentina won 2–0, giving Argentina

4930-468: The midfield for the matches against Genoa and Fiorentina . During that period, Mourinho played him in the midfield due to the presence of Maicon, Lúcio , Walter Samuel and Cristian Chivu in the back four. The 2009–10 season began well for Zanetti and Inter, especially after a 4–0 thrashing of crosstown rivals Milan in the Derby della Madonnina . In the match against Genoa on 17 October, he started off

5015-469: The names of every player he had played with during his career at Inter. He retired after the last game of the season, which he started as centre-back in a 2–1 away defeat to Chievo on 18 May. In June 2014, Inter chairman Erick Thohir appointed Zanetti vice- president for a two-year term. Zanetti kept the role upon the change of ownership to the Suning Holdings Group . On 4 May 2015, during

5100-504: The national team Suspended Selected at the Argentina national under-23 football team   Champions      Runners-up      Third place        Tournament played fully or partially on home soil   Below is a result summary of all matches Argentina has played against FIFA recognised teams.    Positive record    Neutral record    Negative record Argentina and Brazil have

5185-399: The only player to have played under this many coaches. He has pledged his future to the Nerazzurri , hoping to have a future behind the desk at the club in his retirement from playing. "Inter means a lot to me", Zanetti said. It was the first team to open the doors of European football. I was very young when I came here and I think not many teams could have had so much faith and patience with

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5270-537: The pitch; in his entire 22-year career, he only received two red cards. Zanetti was a quick, strong and physically fit player in his prime, with outstanding physical attributes, excellent ball control, dribbling , technical ability and acceleration. Defensively, he excelled at reading the game, and he was a good ball-winner and man-marker, although he was also effective at distributing the ball to teammates, due to his passing range and vision. A two-way and two-footed player, he excelled at playing on either flank, where he

5355-409: The player with the fourth-most appearances of all time. On 29 April 2014, Inter chairman Erick Thohir announced that Zanetti would retire at the end of the 2013–14 season and become a club director. Zanetti's last competitive match at the San Siro was a 4–1 victory over Lazio on 10 May 2014. He came on as a substitute for Jonathan Moreira in the 52nd minute and wore a special armband featuring

5440-474: The programme are taught hygiene and self-grooming. Lunch and two snacks are provided daily. The organization's president is Andrés de la Fuente and Monica Giacoletto, who specialize in psychopedagogy . They are the father-and mother-in-law of Zanetti. Javier Zanetti has also received financial help from some teammates at Inter , as the Chilean Iván Zamorano . The operating cost of the foundation

5525-415: The qualification rounds, Zanetti was not called up for the 2006 FIFA World Cup by coach José Pékerman in a controversial decision. With new coach Alfio Basile , Zanetti played a friendly match against France on 7 February 2007, helping Javier Saviola to score the only goal of the game that gave Argentina the first victory under Basile's second management. In April 2007, Zanetti was presented with

5610-441: The quarter-finals. I faced Zanetti for the first time in the Champions League quarter-finals in 1999, he was the right-back and I was on the left. He impressed with his qualities, his speed, power, intelligence and expertise. I played against him twice more and he was my most difficult opponent, a complete player. — Ryan Giggs . Zanetti earned the nickname El Tractor for his stamina and tireless energetic runs up and down

5695-468: The shirts and silvery American football numbers ironed to the backs. Sporting the makeshift jerseys, Argentina beat England on 22 June, with Diego Maradona scoring his famous " Hand of God goal ". Afterwards, the shirt became a symbol of the occasion and an important collector's item. At the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Argentina debuted a black away kit; and at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, they wore

5780-488: The social integration of poor children. The aim of the organization is to help children who were left impoverished by the country's economic crisis by giving them educational opportunities, as well as taking care of their nutritional requirements. He explained: When I look back to my childhood, many concrete scenes come to my mind, good ones and bad ones. I had a difficult childhood, and even though I don't live in my country at present, I'm well aware of what's going on there and

5865-443: The squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches on 14 and 19 November 2024 against Paraguay and Peru , respectively. Caps and goals are correct as of 19 November 2024, after the match against Peru . The following players have also been called up for the team in the last twelve months. Withdrew from the squad due to quarantine or infection by COVID-19 Withdrew due to injury Preliminary squad Retired from

5950-401: The stadium was commonly used by Argentina from 1920 to 1932. Playing at the stadium for La Albiceleste on 2 October 1924, forward Cesáreo Onzari scored directly from a corner kick , the first such incident in football, when Argentina beat Uruguay 2–1; such goals are now often referred as Olympic goals due to the fact that Uruguay had just won the 1924 Olympic title . Sportivo Barracas

6035-562: The starting line up was taken by Jonás Gutiérrez , who had spent the previous season playing on the wing for Newcastle United in England's second-tier Football League Championship . On 20 August 2010, Argentina coach Sergio Batista recalled Zanetti to the squad for a friendly match against Spain played on 7 September 2010 at the River Plate Monumental Stadium, where he and fellow legend Gabriel Batistuta were honored by

6120-445: The striped jersey has remained as the definitive kit for Argentina ever since then. The team's away kits have been in dark blue shades, with the colours of shorts and socks varying from time to time. Argentina has also sported other kits; on 3 June 1919 in Rio de Janeiro , playing against Brazil , Argentina wore a light blue kit, similar to that of Uruguay, out of respect for Roberto Chery,

6205-467: The team also uses various other venues frequently, such as Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades and Boca Juniors ' stadium, La Bombonera . Those venues, along with Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes and Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario , were used for the 2022 World Cup qualification . Additionally, Argentina played some matches at Rosario Central 's stadium, Estadio Gigante de Arroyito , during their 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign. GEBA Stadium

6290-462: The third consecutive World Cup in the Brazil 2014 event's final, where Argentina was defeated in extra time by a score of 1–0 . Argentina has a minor rivalry with Mexico, which developed in the 1990s. The rivalry is considered one-sided as Argentines do not consider Mexico as rivals. Although the first official match between both nations came in the 1930 FIFA World Cup where Argentina beat Mexico 6–3 in

6375-482: The top-scoring players at their respective World Cups. Since the Golden Ball for the tournament's best player was officially awarded by FIFA in 1982, Argentina players have won it three times: Maradona in 1986 and Messi in 2014 and 2022. Individually for Argentina, Lionel Messi is the all-time most-capped player with 189 matches and the highest goalscorer with 112 goals. As of October 2024 , Argentina ranks 1st in

6460-535: The two countries in the modern game are Neymar (Brazilian) and Lionel Messi (Argentine). Both Pelé and Maradona have declared Neymar and Messi their respective "successors". With a rivalry stemming from the 1966 World Cup and intensified by the Falklands War of 1982, Argentina and England have had numerous confrontations in World Cup tournaments. Among them was the quarter-final match in 1986 , where Diego Maradona scored two goals against England. The first

6545-424: The wings to aid both attack and defence. He was known amongst his teammates for consistency and fitness regime, which he has credited with prolonging his career. During his last few seasons, he started in over 30 games despite being in his late 30s. As a captain for both his club and international sides, he was well-respected by both fans and the opposition for his leadership, calm demeanor and conduct both on and off

6630-460: Was a handball , but was ruled legal by the referee. The second, scored minutes later, saw Maradona passing five England outfield players before scoring, and is often described as one of, if not the greatest goal in football history. The nations were paired together in the Round of 16 at the 1998 World Cup , won by Argentina on penalties, and again at the group stage in 2002 , England winning 1–0 through

6715-505: Was Zanetti's 700th appearance for Inter, and it made him the first player to captain an Italian club to a treble of the Scudetto , Coppa Italia and Champions League . On 20 October 2010, at 37 years and 71 days, Zanetti became the oldest player to score in the Champions League when he netted in the opening minute of Inter's 4–3 group stage win over Tottenham Hotspur at the San Siro . This

6800-562: Was born in Buenos Aires to working-class parents of Italian ancestry and grew up in the harbour area in the Dock Sud district, one of the city's most notorious areas. His father Rodolfo was a bricklayer and his mother Violeta Bonnazola was a cleaner. Reportedly, some of Zanetti's ancestors were Italian settlers brought to southern Chile by Giorgio Ricci in the aftermath of the Occupation of Araucanía (1861–1883). He began playing football on

6885-411: Was capable of advancing into more offensive positions to cross balls for teammates. He also possessed an accurate shot from distance. During his later years at Inter, he was known to have developed a formidable partnership with fellow full-back Maicon, leading the club to win several titles. Zanetti began his career as a right offensive winger , but was later moved back into midfield, where he became

6970-475: Was first worn at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden; the logo was added to the team's jackets, but not the shirts. The emblem was not used on jerseys until 16 November 1976, when Argentina played the Soviet Union at Estadio Monumental . At the beginning, the crest used did not include a laurel wreath , which was first added for the 1982 World Cup . As a respected and common practice, two stars were added above

7055-439: Was later demolished after 1936. The first kit ever worn by Argentina, in their official debut against Uruguay in 1902, included a light blue shirt. On 2 July 1908, Argentina debuted a shirt with light blue vertical stripes on a white jersey, which they used when they played a side formed of Campeonato Paulista players at Velódromo Paulistano ; they used the jersey in an official match against Uruguay on 13 September 1908, and

7140-679: Was only his second ever Champions League goal; his first came in December 1998 in a match in a 2–0 win against Sturm Graz . He scored one of Inter's goals in their 3–0 win against Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma at the 2010 FIFA Club World Cup , which they eventually won, although Inter missed out on the UEFA Super Cup that season. On 19 January 2011, Zanetti overtook Inter legend Giuseppe Bergomi in Serie A appearances, his 520th match in Serie A, all for Inter. On 11 May 2011, Zanetti made his 1,000th appearance as

7225-533: Was the first stadium Argentina used for its home matches; that includes the Copa Newton match against Uruguay held on 13 September 1908, which has a historic significance for being the first time Argentina wore the light blue and white-striped jersey in an official match, which has since then been the defining uniform up to the present day. GEBA was also used for the Copa Centenario Revolución de Mayo ,

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