Jonas Eriksson was about to referee his first ever quarter-final in the Champions League.
Then he heard five words from Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the players’ tunnel – which changed everything.
– He always had such an aura, charisma and authority that made him stand out, says the former top judge.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic was not only a completely magical footballer. He has always had immense confidence, both on and off the field, and he has been praised by teammates and coaches alike for the way he really controls his teammates, and for being a leader.
Reveals the special meeting
Everyone who has played with or against Ibrahimovic says the same thing: There are players who have ever been so self-evident in their way of being, and that is something top referee Jonas Eriksson has experienced. A few years ago, in connection with Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s 40th birthday, Eriksson was asked about a special memory with Ibrahimovic, and he then told a story about a meeting with Ibrahimovic – which changed Eriksson’s entire refereeing career.
It was in a Champions League meeting in 2012 that Eriksson refereed, and it was a very special match for him.
– The players’ tunnel at San Siro. We judge a quarter-final between Milan and Barcelona. It’s my first Champions League quarter-final ever. Getting to judge the two extremely strong teams against each other, Eriksson told Aftonbladet.
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Zlatan’s five words
Jonas Eriksson says that Zlatan Ibrahimovic, with just five words, made everything better and safer for Eriksson and his Swedish refereeing team.
– I’m standing in the tunnel, I see Zlatan coming. The rest of the team stood together and then he came up to us. Then he took him by the hand: “Hey guys, welcome to Milan.” In his dialect and big smile. Then they stood there for a while. Just then they started the intro to Sweet child of mine with Guns’n’Roses. The team goes up. The crowd cheers. 60,000 have already been collected then. We follow. Zlatan kind of leads the way. When we go up, there is such energy and such a feeling that we are grateful to have Zlatan and Milan’s back, to share in this energy that starts this fantastic match, he says.
Jonas Eriksson is clear about how much it meant, what happened during the meeting with Ibrahimovic. And it actually changed everything about how Eriksson and his fellow referees prepared for matches thereafter.
– Since then we always played that song in the dressing room the last thing we did before the matches to get the right mood and tried to go out with the home team to ride on that feeling. Zlatan always had such aura, charisma and authority that made him stand out.
READ MORE: Kennet Andersson’s unexpected criticism of Zlatan – after he quit the Swedish national team: “I can understand that”