Quotes from Javier Zanetti

I've always believed that our public actions need to take account of our social responsibility.

I am very happy working with Inter, helping them build the club's international relationship with both Fifa and Uefa, promoting the marketing side, its social responsibility activities as well as being involved with the club's academy.

I don't mess around when it comes to fitness.

Messi is the best player in the world, the things he does with the ball are incredible. If someone knows how to stop him, they have to tell me.

Messi is an ambassador of Argentina, and I am also proud of him as an Argentine.

The guys who play in midfield and up front are the ones who decide games.

Milan are always a team to be respected.

I was close to joining Barcelona and Real Madrid, but I am happy to have remained at Inter because I knew that sooner or later our moment to shine would arrive, and it did.

My team-mates at Inter mock me when we are training. 'Stop running, let us win for a change,' they joke. But as long as my body responds, I will keep playing.

When I look back to my infancy many images come to mind, beautiful and ugly.

In 2000, with Tardelli at the helm, I really thought about leaving Inter. I had an agreement with Real Madrid and everything was ready for me to move to Spain.

When I was promoted to the main squad at Talleres de Remedios de Escalada, I felt my dream had become reality.

I've managed to play most games every season for many seasons. That gives you confidence and stability.

I'll never forget my time at Banfield. It is a club that gave me everything and gave me the opportunity to become a man and a player.

There's no point in dwelling on the controversies created by others.

My relationship with Moratti goes beyond the normal ties between a president and a captain. I was an unknown and he believed in me. It's something that I will never forget. Indeed, I will always thank him for that.

Inter is my second home and put their trust in me when I was an unknown.

Inter are a huge club and so always obliged to win.

You need passion and commitment in your sport or else you will never survive that long. Of course you also have to give it your best shot and be responsible for your own behaviour both on and off the field before you can fully enjoy the game for such a long period of time.

I liked my father's work. But above all I liked the idea of doing something concrete and useful. Building a house is a metaphor that I like, it's at the core of my life philosophy: starting from the bottom and reaching the top.

I want to be useful for the team, depending on whatever position the coach chooses for me. That's the spirit I've always had.

The opponent I have most admired during my career is Paolo Maldini.

I'm not surprised by Mazzarri's ability, I knew him as an opponent.

This is football, and one cannot be distracted at any moment because the opposition can put you in difficulty and compromise a result.