PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Two of Swedish football’s best players in the 2000s.
Now Olof Mellberg gives his honest view of Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
– It is difficult to find words, admits Mellberg in a statement.
We all know what Zlatan Ibrahimovic has meant to Swedish football and how incredibly much he has accomplished during his long career. One who has followed the matchless journey closely is the former national team defender Olof Mellberg.
Zlatan’s tribute
They have never played together at club team level but had many great years together in Blågult. Mellberg and Ibrahimovic really found each other and became very good friends both on and off the pitch.
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When the defense general ended his playing career in 2014, he received a very emotional tribute from Zlatan.
“The day Olof Mellberg made the decision to quit the national team, that day was a great loss for Swedish football and the national team. But for me it was an even greater loss. When I had him in the team, I never had to look back because I knew I had him behind me and I could focus on what was happening ahead,” he wrote in his own app “Zlatan Unplugged” and then continued:
“Olof was the person who triggered and challenged me. It drove me to want to do more on the field. Olof himself has a winning skull that no one else has. He refuses to lose and not just in football but in anything. When he does lose, which happens rarely, he refuses to admit it. I think that mentality has also taken him far in his career.
“Thanks my friend”
I have been doubly lucky when it comes to Olof. The first thing is that I got to play with him. The second is that I got to know Olof Mellberg and not just the footballer. If I think he is clearly the best Swedish defender of all time, then I think Olof the man is even better.
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It is sad that Olof now chooses to end his career because I am sure he has more to give. I wish Olof Mellberg and his family all the happiness and love in the future. Thank you my friend,” wrote Zlatan.
Mellberg pays homage
When “Ibra” has now ended his own playing career, Olof Mellberg returns the favor and opens up his heart to tell you what he really thinks about Zlatan.
– Both his club team career and his national team career have been absolutely fantastic, the best we have ever seen and it is unclear if we will ever experience it again. His skills as a football player are completely unique, so it is difficult to find words to sum up what he meant to Swedish football, says the now BP coach to Expressen.
READ MORE: Icon Kurre Hamrin gives his brutal verdict on Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the Swedish national team: “He was a burden”
Mellberg also has a lot of good things to say about the man Zlatan Ibrahimovic after getting to know him in depth, which is rare anyway.
– Immediately when he joined the national team, we felt that we were comfortable together and we stayed together for several years there. You could say that we had similarities in our character, so we got close and got along well. I have always had a good time with Zlatan, he is a good person in many ways, he says to the evening newspaper.
– We are absolutely still friends and are in contact. We used to meet more over the years, in recent years we haven’t had time to hang out as much as before because we’ve been in such different directions. But we’ve always had a good relationship.
Olof Mellberg also gives life advice to Zlatan about what he should do next in life after his playing career.
– I heard that he said that he would take the opportunity to enjoy life a little now. Then there will be lots of opportunities for Zlatan going forward, there are lots of things already now that he can get involved in, says Mellberg in the interview.
– I really hope that he means what he said, that he should enjoy life a little. He deserves that.
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