Walter Samuel
Wálter Samuel 2009
Wálter Adrian Samuel (born 23 March 1978 in Laborde, Córdoba Province) is an Argentine footballer who plays in the position of a defense and is since 2005 under contract with Inter Milan.
Career
In the club
The defender, who is called by the fans The Wall, began his career in 1996 as Gabriel Heinze at Newell 's Old Boys. He then moved in 1997/98 to the Boca Juniors. This He won the 1998 Apertura, and the Clausura 1999 Championship and once ( 2000) the important South American club competition - the Libertadores.
In the summer of 2000 he moved for 23 million euros to Italy and signed a contract with AS Roma. Through its strong and consistent performances in his first season, he helped the Romans to the third championship. In 2004 he moved to Real Madrid, and after a season back to Italy for the Italian traditional club Inter Milan.
In the 2009/10 season Samuel formed together with the Brazilian Lúcio the trunk of the internal defense of Inter Milan and had so decisive role in ensuring that the Nerazzuri could win the Triple the first Italian club. For his efforts this season, he was elected together with Giorgio Chiellini of Juventus to Serie A Defender of the Year in January 2011. 11 May 2012 Samuel extended his contract with Inter Milan for another year until 30 June 2013. This agreement was one year later, on June 13, 2013, further extended by one year.
With the Nerazzuri Samuel won the Italian Supercup so far (2006, 2008), the Coppa Italia (2006, 2010, 2011 ), the champion (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 ) as well as the Champions League ( 2010).
In the National Team
With the youth team of the Argentine national team, he won among others the Junior World Cup 1997 in Malaysia. His first game in the Argentine national team played Wálter Samuel on 3 February 1999 against Venezuela.
He has played 56 caps for his country and participated among others in the Copa América in 1999, the Football World Cup 2002 and the Confederations Cup 2005. For the World Cup 2006, he was not considered.
In May 2010 he was appointed by Diego Maradona in the squad for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. He played only two games since he was injured in the second game.
Achievements
As a national player
- Junior World Cup: 1997
With its clubs
- Argentine champion: 1998 ( Torneo Apertura ), 1999 ( Torneo Clausura )
- Copa Libertadores: 2000
- Italian Champion: 2000/ 01, 2005 /06 * 2006/ 07, 2007/ 08, 2008/ 09, 2009/10
- Italian Super Cup winner: 2001, 2006, 2008, 2010
- Italian Cup Winners: 2005/ 06, 2009/10, 2010/11
- Champions League winner: 2009/10
- Club World Champion 2010
* Awarded as a result of the Italian football scandal 2005/2006
Individually
- Serie A Defender of the Year: 2010 *
* Together with Giorgio Chiellini of Juventus
Private
Samuel is married and father of three children. He has next to the Argentine and the Italian citizenship.