Zlatan Ibrahimovic sometimes writes letters now, and in football he still breaks records. If Sweden starts the European Championship qualifier with a home game against Belgium (March 24th, 2023), Ibrahimovic will also be there – just in a new role.
A few weeks ago God wrote a letter, the reason was quite earthly. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 41, has bought a house in Stockholm with his partner. And because that’s how you do it, even if you like to call yourself God, Ibrahimovic turned to the tenants. At the end Ibrahimovic wrote: “Kindestly, Zlatan.”
Of course, the media in Sweden were very interested in this letter. A tenant newspaper reported that Ibrahimovic and his partner had told the tenants not to worry. A sale is not in the offing, and they don’t have any concrete plans for the property yet.
You rarely read about Ibrahimovic. He has many plans, often the really big ones. He is now a landlord and he is playing football again, even for Sweden. But one after anonther.
Ibrahimovic was injured for nine months, his knee. Not a small story, not even for someone like “Ibra”. There were indeed people who questioned God’s role in football. But who is infallible?
Age does not protect against goals
Ibrahimovic has played four times for his club AC Milan since the end of February, 144 minutes, spread over four substitutions. Most recently, in a 3-1 defeat against Udinese, he captained and he converted a penalty. Since then, Ibrahimovic has become the oldest player to ever score in Italy’s Serie A at 41 years and 166 days.
Headlines followed, the way Ibrahimovic likes them. “Ibra, a fashion that never goes away”, wrote the “Gazzetta dello Sport”. Sweden national coach Janne Andersson may have confirmed hymns of praise like these, but he had already made his decision anyway: Ibrahimovic is in Sweden’s squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Belgium (Friday, 03/24/2023) and Azerbaijan (Monday, 03/27/2023).
Ibrahimovic has always been Sweden’s best footballer – but he wasn’t always easy
Ibrahimovic, Andersson said, can still contribute a lot to a team’s success. “Especially on the field, but also off the field.” You could also see that recently in Milan. There Ibrahimovic had given the substitute after his long injury break without complaint. But would he do the same in Sweden?
Ibrahimovic made his debut for the national team 22 years ago, you have to imagine. He has since earned 121 caps and scored 62 goals. Sweden has never produced a better footballer, but it wasn’t always easy with Ibrahimovic. Coach Andersson will not have forgotten that either.
When God staged his return
Once, after the early end at the EM 2016, Ibrahimovic even resigned. From then on he had become a kind of chief critic of the then very new national coach Andersson, had blasphemed about his tactics and questioned the squad nomination. But at some point Ibrahimovic said: “I miss the national team.”
Talks between Andersson and “Ibra” followed – and the resignation of the resignation. On Instagram, Ibrahimovic wrote with his own modesty of God, who will now return.
Of course, the Swedish association gave a press conference that was elaborately prepared for Ibrahimovic’s return, and you could even follow it in Germany. In it, Ibrahimovic said Ibrahimovic things, once even: “I’m going to win the European Championship. I don’t think about anything else.” Sweden played well, but they didn’t win the European Championship. And Ibrahimovic was injured and not in the squad at all.
God’s new role
It’s been two years since Ibrahimovic returned to Sweden’s national team. He has played five games since then, failed to score a goal and was often injured. He was a wild card before his knee injury and it would be a surprise if he were to return to Andersson’s starting XI. God ages too, and sometimes he just sits on the substitutes’ bench.
After all, the “elf” remains with him. When Emil Forsberg offered Ibrahimovic the number ten jersey that “Ibrakadabra” had worn for a long time when he returned in 2021, he generously waved it off. He had chosen number eleven anyway. It was actually worn by Alexander Isak, who was already considered by many to be the legitimate successor to Ibrahimovic. Of course, Isak was happy to pass on the number.
Ibrahimovic liked to tell the story back then, he seemed to like it. “He said he wants her back in six, seven years when I stop”, said Ibrahimovic. By that calculation, he still had four or five years with the national team. Perhaps Alexander Isak has counted since then. He now prefers to wear the number nine jersey.