PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has ended his career.
Now former national team captain Erik Hamrén comes forward with an unknown Zlatan story.
– I have not told you about this before…, he says to Radiosporten.
After a full 24 years as a senior player Zlatan Ibrahimovic decided to end his career. The news came as a shock to many on Sunday evening and since then everyone has praised the Swedish world star for a long and successful career.
Tribute to Zlatan
One who came very close to “Ibra” was the former national team captain Erik Hamren. He led the Swedish A national team in the years 2009-2016 and had the honor of training Zlatan during his most successful football years.
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Hamrén made Ibrahimovic the captain of the national team and let the attacking star decide a lot. Together, they developed a close relationship during the national team time together.
– I liked Zlatan as a footballer of course, he was fantastic. But I also like him a lot as a person, a fantastic person who stands with two feet on the ground, says Erik to Radiosporten.
READ MORE: Olof Lundh now reveals the truth about the rumored relationship with Zlatan: “Many believe that…”
Hamrén’s memory
During his time as Swedish national team captain, Zlatan really stood out as the big fixed star in Blågult. But according to Hamrén, it was not at all very difficult to manage Ibra as a coach.
– It is more difficult to work with those who think they are stars than those who actually are stars. Zlatan always wanted to be the best in training, he could fart his way through training because he knew he was going to play anyway, but he always wanted to be the best in training too. And that means a lot to a group, because if he goes for 100 percent then everyone else has to do it too, he says in the interview.
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After Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s time as a footballer came to an end, Erik Hamrén now reveals a story he has never told before about the big Z. The year was 2018 and Hamrén had taken over Iceland’s national team, which went to a training camp in Los Angeles.
READ MORE: Dejan Kulusevski’s tribute to Zlatan – says five words that give the entire football world total goosebumps
Zlatan then played for the Los Angeles Galaxy and this memory really shows the 41-year-old’s big heart.
– Something had gone wrong so all of a sudden we had no football field to practice on. We tried to do everything to find a solution, but it was impossible until my assistant said to me: “But you know Zlatan, can’t you call him”, says Hamrén to the radio channel.
– So I called Zlatan and told him where it was. He just replied: “I’ll fix it”. So he called the president of the LA Galaxy and suddenly we were allowed into their facility. That went quick.
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