Originally a pacey left winger, Zapata has developed his game as a deep-lying playmaker since his arrival to Vélez in 2007.
In 2007, Zapata joined Vélez Sársfield in a free transfer, after River denied the possibility of extending his contract.
[1] He also played 13 games as a starter (1 goal) in Vélez' 2011 Clausura winning campaign,[2] his second Argentine league title with the club and sixth in his career.
Under José Pekerman's coaching, Zapata played a friendly match with the Argentina national team in 2005.
The game was a 1–1 draw with Mexico, in which Argentina had a squad formed exclusively by local league players.