page_title: Pablo Zabaleta
section_title: International career
hierarchical_section_title: Pablo Zabaleta / International career
caption_attribution_description: Lional Messi, Pablo Zabaleta, Ever Banega with Argentina at the Boleyn Ground before a match against Croatia.
context_page_description: Pablo Javier Zabaleta Girod is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a right back. He is currently a free agent having most recently played for English Premier League club West Ham United. He has also played for the Argentina national team. Zabaleta can operate on both sides of the pitch as a full-back and is known for his tenacious style of play, and has captained his club on numerous occasions.
  With Manchester City, Zabaleta won all of English football's major honours: the FA Cup, the Premier League, the League Cup and the Community Shield. Before joining Manchester City, Zabaleta played for La Liga club RCD Espanyol, where he won the 2005–06 Copa del Rey. He made 333 appearances over nine seasons for Manchester City before signing for London-based club West Ham United in the summer of 2017.
  A full international since 2005, Zabaleta represented Argentina at the 2011 and 2015 Copa América, and was part of their team which finished as runners-up in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He was also in their team which won gold at the 2008 Olympics.
context_section_description: At the age of 14, Zabaleta was called up by Hugo Tocalli to the Argentina under-15 squad. He took part in many youth tournaments, including the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2003 and 2005, winning the latter in the Netherlands. He received over 75 caps to national youth sides, and started representing the senior side in 2005. He was also a member of the gold medal-winning team at the 2008 Summer Olympics, starting at right-back and playing all six matches.
  After the 2010 FIFA World Cup, for which Zabaleta was not selected by head coach Diego Maradona, under the new Argentina manager he has established himself as first-choice right-back. On 1 June 2011, Zabaleta captained Argentina for the first time in a friendly against Nigeria.
  In June 2014, Zabaleta was named in Argentina's squad for the 2014 World Cup. He made his World Cup debut in Argentina's 2–1 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Estádio do Maracanã, playing the full match in defence.
  At the 2015 Copa América in Chile, Zabaleta sent in the cross from which his Manchester City teammate Sergio Agüero headed the only goal of the game as Argentina defeated holders Uruguay in their second group match.
caption: Zabaleta (middle) lining up for Argentina in 2014
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