PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Two of Swedish football’s best players ever.
Jonas Thern here gives his honest view of Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
– It is admirable, says the WC 94 icon to Aftonbladet.
When Sweden stood for its greatest achievement so far on the men’s side in football, it was Jonas Thern who was the big leader on the pitch. With the captain’s armband around his arm, he led Blågult all the way to an unforgettable World Cup bronze in 1994.
Thern’s career
Thern had an absolutely brilliant football career with games in big clubs such as Benfica, Napoli, Roma and Rangers. He has since continued in football as a successful coach and worked wonders with smaller clubs such as Halmstads BK and IFK Värnamo.
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Over the years, Jonas Thern has also been mentioned as a potential national team captain for the Swedish national team. But the closest he has come to such a position is as a spy and sounding board for the current national team captain Jan Andersson.
READ MORE: Stefan Schwarz’s clever answer to the question of whether he would face Zlatan Ibrahimovic in a fight: “If it happened…”
Tribute to Zlatan
But despite that, the legend has never come close to working with one of Swedish football’s greatest ever – namely Zlatan Ibrahimovic. In recent years, there was a protracted debate about whether “Ibra” should play in the national team or not, and Thern has been clear and given his honest view of the star striker.
– Zlatan is unique and there is no one on the planet who is 40 years old and has the physique and size that he has. I think he himself feels that he contributes other things than just being a player who should be good on the field. I don’t think he’s a starter every time and, without talking to Janne, I think they have those thoughts too. He is the kind of player who, whether he starts or not, can make a difference. If there is no other player who can match him in the squad, and there isn’t now, then he should be included purely in terms of quality. Then his body can decide, he said in an interview with Aftonbladet in 2021.
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Unfortunately, Thern has missed out on Zlatan several times during his career. The veteran ended his national team career in 1997 while Zlatan made his debut in 2011, Thern entered as a coach in the Allsvenskan in 2002 but by then Zlatan had already left for Ajax, Thern then became a spy in the national team in 2016 but then it was Zlatan who thanked him in connection with European Championship 2016.
– His head and attitude, which he has had throughout the years, are few and far between. You have been up there yourself and played in Serie A with the best in the world. You know what it takes to be at your best every year. You can’t cheat on anything because then you won’t be able to do it. Zlatan has not only been at the top, but has been at the top of the top with the five or six best in the world – constantly. It’s admirable, says Thern in tribute.
READ MORE: Zlatan speaks straight from the heart and pays tribute to WC 94 hero Klas Ingesson in the most beautiful way with tearful words
When Zlatan then returned to the Swedish national team again for the last years of his career, it was a Jonas Thern who was full of admiration. Despite the fact that the star Swede has passed the 40-year mark.
– Everyone knows how dangerous he is. After all, he scores in almost every game he plays. It shouldn’t really work, Thern said in the interview with the evening newspaper.
– I think Zlatan sees himself as a leader too. He’s smart enough that if he feels he’s not contributing, he wouldn’t be interested in joining. If you can’t perform, you don’t want to be on the pitch. Most people at the elite level think so.
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