Inter’s Boardroom Role Takes Zanetti Beyond Football

Javier Zanetti has explained that his role as Inter vice-president reaches beyond football, covering areas including marketing, social responsibility and international relations.

Speaking at the Olé Summit 2026, the former captain said he sees himself as a resource for the Nerazzurri. His account, reported by fcinternews.it, presented the vice-presidency as a cross-functional job rather than a role limited to sporting matters.

Zanetti said the change in perspective was substantial: as a player, his focus was on teammates, training and preparing to win matches. In an executive role, he believes a capable team behind the scenes is essential to help the side on the pitch perform at its best.

He also wants to carry lessons from his playing career into the club, passing on Inter’s values and identity. That emphasis on collective work, he said, remains central to how he approaches his responsibilities.

From the dressing room to the boardroom

Zanetti said he played until almost 41 and was able to retire on his own terms. The club offered him the vice-presidency immediately after he stopped playing, but he quickly recognised that he needed to prepare for a new environment.

He enrolled at Bocconi University in Milan, describing the contrast between a dressing room of 25 people and meetings where the discussion ranged across figures, marketing, social responsibility and international relations. He said he continues to study and learn every day.

His stated aim was not simply to become a sports executive, but to develop a broader skill set. For Zanetti, the contribution he brings to Inter is the ability to connect what sport taught him with the club’s values and identity.