Zlatan saw that the opponent did what was forbidden to Lionel Messi.
Then he reacted lightning fast.
The move caused the entire football world to cheer loudly.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has always been the one to stand up for himself and his teammates. The Swede has always been one of the world’s best goalscorers, with a style of play that few have even come close to. He has had the physicality, the speed, the technique – and the goal. And it was enough all the way to big clubs like Milan, Manchester United and PSG.
The support for Messi
But Zlatan has also always been praised for his leadership qualities, and the way he makes his teammates better. Ibrahimovic has never taken any shit, and if he thinks someone is doing wrong, both on and off the pitch, he always lets everyone know about it. And that’s exactly how it was in the meantime in Barcelona, even if it was perhaps a tougher year for Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Ibra did not fully get along with coach Pep Guardiola, and in retrospect the Swede has directed enormous criticism at the demo coach, above all in the book “I am Zlatan”. However, Ibrahimovic has more respect for Lionel Messi. Zlatan has previously said that Messi is his favorite in the classic duel between the Argentine and Cristiano Ronaldo, and in recent years it has emerged how much Zlatan supported Messi during his years at Barcelona, when the Argentine went through a tough period on the pitch.
READ MORE: Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s five words to Jonas Eriksson in the players’ tunnel – which changed the Swede’s career: “Since then so…”
Celebrated after the move
Lionel Messi is the best soccer player of all time according to many, and there are not many opponents over the years who have beaten him by, for example, pushing after the whistle. Almost everyone shows huge respect for Messi, but certainly not everyone. Once, in a match against Stuttgart in the Champions League, Messi and an opponent got into a scuffle in the closing stages. Messi then got a push – and Ibrahimovic didn’t like it.
Ibrahimovic quickly stepped in and delivered an even harder push – and then no one even dared to go near Messi. Zlatan’s move caused the entire football world to cheer loudly – and in the comments section of the clip on YouTube, the tributes are pouring in.
“Zlatan makes it look easy!”, writes one.
“Zlatan always stands up for himself and his teammates. Respect,” writes another.
“He should be happy that Zlatan only used twelve percent of all his strength,” writes a third.
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