A star is born
A 'born winner' in the eyes of David Beckham, Zlatan Ibrahimovic's prolific form with Ajax in 2004 saw him create shock waves across the continent.
Ajax scout John Steen Olsen was responsible for bringing the forward to Holland and the partnership proved a match made in heaven.
Ibrahimovic put his key skills on display in a league game against NAC Breda in August 2004 as he showed his strength, close-control footwork and eye for goal with this sensational effort.
Nine days later and Ibrahimovic was a Juventus player, albeit the striker’s move out of Ajax was expedited by a crude challenge on Dutch club mate Rafael van der Vaart in an international match played four days before the unrepentant Swede delivered his early contender for goal of the season.
Zlatan Justice
Ibrahimovic spent two years with AC Milan from 2010. The Swede and one of his club colleagues, American Oguchi Onyewu, quickly rubbed each other up the wrong way. Here, from his book I Am Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the Malmo-born man explains his method for resolving conflict.
“I told Onyewu I did not trash talk, but he just kept on. He shushed me with his finger. Then he did it again. I saw red. I didn’t say anything, not a word. That b****** was going to find out how I trash-talk!
“The next time he got the ball in training, I rushed towards him and jumped up with my feet and studs out in front — the worst type of tackle. But he saw me and leapt out of the way. As we both crashed to the ground, my first thought was: ‘S**t! I’ve missed!’ As I got up and walked away I felt a blow to my shoulder. Not a good idea, Oguchi Onyewu.
“I headbutted him, and we flew at each other. We wanted to tear each other limb from limb. It was brutal. We were rolling around, punching and kneeing each other. We were crazy and furious — it was like life and death.”
Can I play you every week?
Ibrahimovic has a notoriously poor scoring record against English club sides. Indeed, his four-goal haul for Sweden against England outstrips his total of three strikes in club colours against opponents from this country, from 18 outings.
All three of those were scored against Arsenal, two for Barcelona in a 2010 Champions League quarter-final tie in north London. Ibrahimovic would later accuse Pep Guardiola of mishandling him during his one-year stay at the Nou Camp – famously saying that the Spaniard had bought a Ferrari and driven it like a Fiat. On this night, however, Ibrahimovic was the Catalans’ main man.
Seeing red
Back in the days when PSG lost the odd game - a mighty four years ago to be more precise - Saint-Etienne were protecting a one-goal lead in the French capital.
Zlatan doesn’t like losing and, after being beaten to a through ball by Stephane Ruffier, the Swede promptly plunged his right-boot square in the chest of the opposing goalkeeper.
The ensuing red card was inevitable – and Saint-Etienne would go on to clinch a 2-1 victory.
'That' goal
There is obviously something about cutting down an opponent that gets Zlatan’s juices flowing. Much like his solo goal against NAC Breda, which followed hot on the heels of raking his boot down Van der Vaart’s lower leg, Ibrahimovic was back in the headlines 11 days after leaving his imprint on Ruffier‘s chest.
On November 14 2012, the 6ft 5in maestro transferred his kung fu talents from downing opposing goalkeepers, to doing this to England.
It was Zlatan’s fourth goal on a night when English audiences finally caught on to what all the fuss was about.
A champion celebration
Ibrahimovic’s debut season in Paris ended with his club winning their first league title for 19 years in 2013. Understandably, the serial champion wanted to toast the feat with his similarly joyous team-mates.
When, therefore, PSG sporting director Leonardo informed Zlatan that he was required to provide a doping sample, the Brazilian received an earful for his efforts.
The Swede has obviously never heard the old adage about not shooting the messenger.
Facing Ronaldo
Portugal were playing Sweden for the right to go to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. To the football public, though, this was Zlatan vs Ronaldo. Ibrahimovic scored a perfectly respectable two goals across the two legs. Unfortunately for him, Ronaldo hit four. Portugal progressed 4-2 on aggregate – and the vanquished forward declared that, without his mercurial presence, the competition in South America would be nothing.
Redemption
Two years later and Zlatan was pitched into play-off action once more, Denmark this time standing between Sweden and a place at this summer’s European Championship finals in France.
With no Ronaldo to counter his virtuoso deeds, Ibrahimovic delivered three of his country’s four goals, as they edged their Scandinavian counterparts 4-3 across two games.
This wonderful free-kick was the second of his double in Copenhagen – and the goal that effectively sealed the tie.
As ever there would be a post-match pay-off from the hero of the hour. Zlatan responded to some pre-match jibes from the Danes by saying: “They said they were going to send me to retirement. I sent their whole nation into retirement.”
Last time in England
Still dogged by accusations of failing to live up to his prime billing whenever he faces English opposition, Ibrahimovic did nothing to sway opinion, at Stamford Bridge. PSG were in west London for the second-leg of last season’s Champions League last-16 tie when, with 31 minutes on the clock, their Swedish talisman saw red for this foul on Oscar.
Whether or not the most famous ego in football was dented after his side rode that setback to secure an away goals victory, only Zlatan will know.
Man of the people
Returning with PSG to play a Champions League game at his first club Malmo, Zlatan was desperately keen that anybody unable to secure a ticket inside the Swedish club’s 21,000 Swedbank Stadion wouldn’t miss out on seeing the main man back in town.
So he did what any returning hero would do: he hired out Malmo’s main square for another 10,000 to watch on a big screen, as he struck once in a 5-0 rout.
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