Club Career
Samuel started playing professionally in 1996 in Argentina for Newell's Old Boys, and a year later moved to Boca Juniors where he played 103 matches and scored 5 goals in all competitions until 2000. In that year, Roma bought his contract for 40.265 billion Italian lire (about €20M). He gained fame as one of the best defenders in the Italian league and gained a nickname to match. His quality attracted interest from Spanish team Real Madrid.
Real paid €25 million for his transfer in 2004. Samuel failed to make an impact at Madrid and was not the leader at the back that Real so desperately needed. He was one of the three non-EU players of the team, along with Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos, they all obtained Spanish passport in 2005. In August 2005, he returned to the Italian League with a transfer to Internazionale on a four year contract for reported €16 million.
In the Milan Derby on 23 December 2007, he hurt himself whilst marking the Brazilian international Kaká, and a couple weeks later, he had reconstructive surgery on his medial collateral ligament. He was expected to be out until the end of the 2007–08 season. In actuality, he started training with the first team again in October of the 2008–09 season, and promptly earned a first team place back under Mourinho. Since the signing of Lúcio, he has partnered him at the heart of Inter's defence. He was a regular starter under Mourinho's management before the coach departed the club at and looks set to play an important role yet again under new manager Rafael Benitez. Walter suffered a severe knee injury in the 7 November fixture against Brescia. He was out for 5 months and made an earlier than expected return to the Inter squad for the champions league quarter final away leg to Schalke. Samuel made his return to the pitch in Inter's away match at Napoli on 15 May 2011.
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