Titles, goals, brutal statements: the self-proclaimed football god leaves the stage in tears

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June 4, 2023 could go down in history as the day football lost its “god”. Even the self-proclaimed god of football weeps as his career comes to an end after 25 years.

The ending is not magical, as would have been the case with «Ibrakadabra». Injuries prevent one final magic trick. In his farewell season, he only comes into action four times. But it’s not the impressive numbers that have made his career unique.

We discuss the Swede’s extraordinary career with the best jokes and scandals.

Stéphane Henchoz one of the first victims

The Swede, who grew up in difficult circumstances in Malmö, was brimming with confidence from the start of his career. As a 17-year-old talent, he declined an invitation to prove himself at the great Arsenal FC. “Zlatan is not going to trial training,” he justified the decision years later.

Off the square, he was already making headlines: with a buddy, he posed as a plainclothes police officer in the red light district and threatened customers with jail time until the real police caught him.

In 2001 he made the switch to Ajax Amsterdam. Stéphane Henchoz, then employed by Liverpool FC, was eaten by him during a friendly match. “First I went to the left, the defender did that too. Then I went to the right, so did he. Then I went left again and he went to buy a hot dog,” Ibrahimovic describes dribbling in his autobiography.

In 2002, Norwegian striker John Carew said Ibrahimovic’s style of play was ineffective. Ibra’s answer: “What he can do with football, I can do with an orange.” After he had mishandled his then teammate Rafael van der Vaart in a test match, he was accused of this. Ibrahimovic tries to speak: “If you accuse me of that again, I’ll break both your legs – and this time on purpose!”

Legendary feud with Guardiola

After Euro 2004 – where he marked the end of the Squadra Azzurra with a heel lift – Juventus Turin signed him. In 2009 he found his way to FC Barcelona via Inter Milan. His feud with current city coach Pep Guardiola is almost legendary. The dispute escalated after CL was away against Ibrahimovic’s ex-coach and club Inter Milan. “You have no balls and you shit your pants in front of Mourinho. You’re nothing compared to him – f*** you,” he allegedly yelled at Guardiola.

In the book “I am Zlatan” he accuses the trainer: “You buy a Ferrari and drive it like a Fiat.” And further: “We don’t need the philosopher. The dwarf and I are enough.” His teammates were also just “schoolboys with no opinion of their own”.

Strong parting words from Paris and LA

In 2010 he would have forced the switch to AC Milan under threat of violence. In November 2012, Ibrahimovic scored his iconic bicycle kick goal against England. He already played at club level in Paris. Before leaving PSG in 2016, he had announced that he would only stay on one condition: “If the Eiffel Tower is replaced by a statue of me.”

In 2018, he chose the following words to say goodbye to Los Angeles and the MLS: “I came, saw and conquered. To the Galaxy fans: you wanted Zlatan, I gave you Zlatan. Don’t mention it. Now go watch baseball again.”

A non-profit site

In addition to brutal statements and some scandals – joining a gambling company or an alleged lion hunt should also be mentioned – Ibrahimovic drew attention to charitable actions.

In 2014, he was asked if he would auction his jersey to help cover the travel costs of the Swedish national team with an intellectual disability. Ibrahimovic did not deliver the jersey, but sponsored the entire trip. In 2015, he took off a jersey during a goal celebration to draw attention to world hunger with 50 temporary name tattoos.

You could list more things at this point, Ibrahimovic has delivered more stories in his 25 year career that will make you laugh, shake your head or just blow your mind. Fortunately, it seems almost impossible that he will also disappear from the scene when he leaves the football field. In any case, “God” cannot be forgotten.

Source : Blick