Zlatan Ibrahimović gave a typical Zlatan response when he was asked about Lionel Messi’s move to Inter Miami and was pleased to see his former Barcelona teammate performing well in the MLS.
Although the 41-year-old Swedish forward hung up his boots on a glistening football career that spanned nearly three decades, Zlatan Ibrahimović has seemingly not lost his confidence and sharp sense of humour.
The former Barcelona, PSG and Milan striker spent two seasons with LA Galaxy in the MLS between 2018 and 2019, making the move from English club Manchester United in the Premier League.
Zlatan’s arrival was historic for the people of Los Angeles and was lauded as one of the biggest signings in the league’s history after notable players such as David Beckham and Andrea Pirlo paved the way.
Known for his unwavering confidence, Zlatan announced himself in the most typical way, taking out a full one-page advert in the LA Times, with the words: “Dear Los Angeles, you’re welcome.”
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NBA and Lakers legend LeBron James was among the famous faces to welcome Zlatan to LA when he first landed and was even gracious enough to send the new LA Galaxy star one of his iconic gold jerseys as a welcome gift; Zlatan signed his autograph and sent it back to King James…
And now, speaking with Italian media La Gazzetta della Sport, Zlatan has continued his typical brash approach to American soccer and the MLS, saying he was pleased to see Lionel Messi’s performances attracting record-breaking crowds across the country, saying: “I’m happy for them. They can watch soccer again. When I left, they started watching baseball.”
Lionel Messi, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, has undoubtedly taken Zlatan’s crown as biggest signing in MLS history, swapping the lofty heights of European football for David Beckham’s newly formed franchise, Inter Miami, in July this year.
Before his arrival, Inter Miami was suffering a torrid time on the pitch and sat dead last in the league after 11 consecutive losses but Lionel Messi’s introduction saw them go an unprecedented 12-game unbeaten streak, and the MLS had itself a new hero.