Riccardo Zanella (27 June 1875 – 30 March 1959) was a Fiuman politician who was the only elected president of the short-lived Free State of Fiume.

Embracing a staunch Italian nationalist stance (in its vehemence typical of the Kossuthists political style) his popularity grew especially among the lower and middle classes, eventually becoming elected mayor (Podestà) of Fiume in 1914, but the nomination was vetoed by the Emperor Franz Joseph.

His chance came as D'Annunzio ignored the Treaty of Rapallo and declared war on Italy itself, finally surrendering the city in December 1920 after a bombardment by the Italian navy.

Zanella served in office as president of the Free State of Fiume from 5 October 1921 to 3 March 1922, when his term was cut short due to Italian occupation, following a fascist putsch.

Following World War II Zanella demanded the restoration of the Free State as a sovereign entity but failed to receive support for his idea at the United Nations Conference on International Organization in San Francisco.