Inter legend Zanetti: ‘Mourinho told us we could win anything, and he was right’

Javier Zanetti has looked back on Inter’s 2010 Champions League triumph and the defining role José Mourinho played in making the Treble possible, as he spoke ahead of Saturday’s final between PSG and Arsenal in Budapest, the city where the man who made 858 appearances for the Nerazzurri once lifted the trophy that remains the last won by an Italian club.Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, the Inter vice-president was asked about the moment that stays with him most vividly from that famous night in Madrid.“When I saw the joy of all our Inter supporters at the final whistle,” Zanetti said. “And then doing the interviews and seeing images of Milan filling up with people, from Piazza Duomo onwards. We couldn’t wait to get back to Italy to embrace all our fans.”TURIN, ITALY – JANUARY 21: Jose Mourinho, Head Coach of Benfica, looks on during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD7 match between Juventus and SL Benfica at Juventus Stadium on January 21, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)Zanetti credits Mourinho’s belief as the cornerstone of historic Inter TrebleOn what made the Treble possible, Zanetti was unequivocal.“A group of players who were first and foremost a group of men, with a great sense of belonging, always remembering the shirt we were wearing,” he said. “It was a pride for all of us to defend Inter’s colours wherever we were in the world, with a great leader in José Mourinho. It was him who convinced us that winning everything was possible. He was right.”Zanetti also reflected on a career at Inter that began in 1995 with no expectation of what was to come.“When I arrived I hoped to stay as long as possible,” he said. “But I never could have imagined that first match in 1995 would be the first of 858 games in the Nerazzurri shirt. For me this club is a family and always will be, the bond goes beyond the professional, it embraces my feelings and those of my family.”Asked to name the most entertaining teammate from his three decades at the club, Zanetti smiled at the memories.“Maicon and Taribo West,” he said. “They arrived in the morning already smiling and cracking jokes. They were really fun.” The most serious? “Ivan Cordoba, still very serious to this day.” And those he bonded with most? “The Treble squad. We still have a chat. We are all brothers. With that group there will always be a very important bond.”