The moment Ibra lost my respect

devilish

Juventus fan who used to support United
Joined
Sep 5, 2002
Messages
63,939
Ibra is a great professional but his BS always rubbed in the wrong way for me. However I closed an eye or two to it up until this popped out

https://www.acmilaninfo.com/van-basten-reveals-how-ibrahimovic-provoked-him/

Van Basten also reveals a story about Zlatan Ibrahimovic during their time at Ajax: “I went back to Ajax as coach and a boy provoked me. You’re Van Basten, he said passing me the ball, show me what you can do. But I could no longer move my ankle. Who was he? I’m sure you know him. His name was Zlatan, his surname Ibrahimovic“.

He shouldn't have taunted a top top player like Van Basten that way especially at a time when Ibra was still unproven. And for the record, Van Basten was a way better player then Ibra ever was. He also won the CL twice and the ballon d'or three times. It would be like Andy Cole taunting Dennis Law, Steve Gerrard taunting Diego Armando Maradona or Nani taunting Cristiano Ronaldo.
 
Wow, what an extreme event. I hope they make a film about it one day.
 
Thank you devilish, very cool!
 
Not for me Clive but he does tend to go after a lot of smaller players when he's having a pop on the pitch.



Picking on all 5'8" of Mavuba (3:30) is just weird. Man was born on a boat, give him a break.
 
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Its legit reasons like this that should force the Zlatan statue in Malmø to be taken down. Not havoc from teenagers.
 
Ibra's Ajax stories are always like that.

He once provoked Mido into throwing scissors at him. He missed and Ibra was very lucky that day.
 
Was Van Basten saying that with a wry smile or is he still smarting about it? I'm hoping for the former, we know Ibra is arrogant as hell and that Van Basten was the better player of the two with the better career.
 
Zlatan was my favourite player in the world at AC Milan but I started to feel even to my eyes he became overrated, egotistical and self indulgent.

The fact that he was a raiola player, cherished working over Jose over what on the base looks like a more team based manager like pep, didn't win any CL's, made me lose significant interest in him.

By the time he scored that worldie against England I felt the England media had started to pay attention to him and hype him up excessively while were happy with his United career even if he was ageing and injured maybe?

But I honestly think he was a great player that just made the wrong decisions and wrong personality seep out of him.

I don't like speaking about Zlatan much because he's really loved by alot of our fans I feel like - but to me, as a fan of AC Milan I realised this, atleast in his first tenure was because he was pleasing on the eye to me.

Just my point of view and I know its different to others vs Zlatan at PSG,Milan,United,Ajax, Barcelona.
 
So if someone passed Rooney a ball and said "show me what you can do" because they might enjoy watching what he can do, that would be provoking him?

Sounds more like Van Basten was scared of a kid tbh.
 
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Can't believe Scholes would disrespect Ronaldo like this.
 
One Night Only said:
So if someone passed Rooney a ball and said "show me what you can do" because they might enjoy watching what he can do, that would be provoking him?

Sounds more like Van Basten was scared of a kid tbh.
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Isn't it more the fact Van Basten had massive injury problems by that time so it was well known he wouldn't have been able to play properly. Sort of like taunting an injury.
 
I’m pretty sure Zlatan said in his autobiography that Van Basten gave him tips and he was grateful for it, and then he fought with LvG about it, something like ‘who should I listen to, Van Basten or someone who never played pro football?’
 
P-Nut said:
Isn't it more the fact Van Basten had massive injury problems by that time so it was well known he wouldn't have been able to play properly. Sort of like taunting an injury.
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Van Basten retired aged 28. He was only just into his peak. His ankle injuries in 92/93 were the end of him. He barely played again; in fact, I don't even think he did. It's incredible how good Van Basten was, even without his peak years.
 
Hoof The Ball said:
Van Basten retired aged 28. He was only just into his peak. His ankle injuries in 92/93 were the end of him. He barely played again; in fact, I don't even think he did. It's incredible how good Van Basten was, even without his peak years.
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Yeah exactly, he went back as a coach and Zlatan was basically poking fun at how he couldn't play anymore.
 
I've never really been that much of a fan of overly macho egocentric players.
 
This is a bit like losing respect for Pepe because he uses a weird filter for his instagram pictures.
 
devilish said:
Ibra is a great professional but his BS always rubbed in the wrong way for me. However I closed an eye or two to it up until this popped out

https://www.acmilaninfo.com/van-basten-reveals-how-ibrahimovic-provoked-him/

Van Basten also reveals a story about Zlatan Ibrahimovic during their time at Ajax: “I went back to Ajax as coach and a boy provoked me. You’re Van Basten, he said passing me the ball, show me what you can do. But I could no longer move my ankle. Who was he? I’m sure you know him. His name was Zlatan, his surname Ibrahimovic“.

He shouldn't have taunted a top top player like Van Basten that way especially at a time when Ibra was still unproven. And for the record, Van Basten was a way better player then Ibra ever was. He also won the CL twice and the ballon d'or three times. It would be like Andy Cole taunting Dennis Law, Steve Gerrard taunting Diego Armando Maradona or Nani taunting Cristiano Ronaldo.
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You're reading SO much into this. Van Basten was the u21 manager between 2003 and 2004. Zlatan left Ajax in 2004 at the tender age of 23. So this altercation where a young Zlatan asks Van Basten, one of his idols, (Yes, Zlatan has stated publicly that Marco Van Basten is one of his football heroes) to do Van Basten stuff, is enough for you to completely disregard all his accomplishments following this event during a 15 year span.
 
Sounds more like a Zlatan prank/Joke than him being disrespectful tbh. We all know Zlatan is a bit of a swagger and can be cnutish with teammates who dont perform Good. but he can do that because he’s Been a worldclass player since 20 years old.

Its a bit of meh anecdote
 
Vidyoyo said:
Not for me Clive but he does tend to go after a lot of smaller players when he's having a pop on the pitch.



Picking on all 5'8" of Mavuba (3:30) is just weird. Man was born on a boat, give him a break.
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He's about 6'4, there aren't many people taller than him. Also, how do you explain the Mings scrap? They've got to be a similar height.
 
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