In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Ibrahimovic explained why he chose those three names, backing his choices with thoughtful arguments. “In my opinion, Ronaldo ‘The Phenomenon’ Nazario — he was soccer. He’s the kind of player you want to imitate,” said Zlatan, referring to the Brazilian icon as his biggest inspiration.

“I’ll give the second position to Maradona. For me, he was a real one — he did everything with his heart, with his emotions,” Ibrahimovic added, placing the Argentine legend second while emphasizing the qualities he admires most.

“For the third, I’m going to say Messi. He’s won… I’m not sure there’s anything left for him to win,” Zlatan said, putting his former Barcelona teammate in third place. It’s a list that makes sense in the world of Zlatan — full of respect for the game’s greats but still surprising for its omission of Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ibrahimovic’s long-standing rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo

One reason behind Ronaldo’s absence could be Ibrahimovic’s long-running rivalry with him. The tension between Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic was defined less by on-field clashes and more by a war of words — fueled by both players’ immense egos and unshakable self-belief.

Zlatan, famous for his bold statements, has often tried to downplay Ronaldo’s greatness, suggesting that while he succeeded in multiple leagues, Ronaldo’s achievements at Real Madrid and Juventus were made easier by the world-class players surrounding him.

Despite their rivalry, the two shared memorable on-field duels — especially in Serie A and international competitions. The most iconic came during the 2014 World Cup playoffs, when Ronaldo’s hat trick in the second leg eliminated Zlatan’s Sweden. Even then, Ibrahimovic showed respect for his rival, acknowledging the Portuguese star’s brilliance with a simple but meaningful gesture.

The mix of traits that define Zlatan’s idols

Looking at his selections, it’s easy to see why these three legends resonate with Ibrahimovic. He has often called Ronaldo Nazario his biggest role model, and despite his towering frame, Zlatan has shown flashes of the Brazilian’s flair and creativity inside the box. Maradona’s passion, grit, and touch of arrogance mirror Zlatan’s own mentality, while Messi represents the ultimate example of excellence and consistency — the kind of success every player dreams of achieving.

The former forward was always known for his supreme confidence, often proclaiming himself as one of the best in the world. Still, not many fans have ranked him as the greatest player in soccer history, despite his bold declarations.

Recently, a video posted by the official UEFA Champions League account went viral on social media. In the clip, Ibrahimovic was told to speak only when he heard the name of a player he considered better than himself. True to his style, he remained silent throughout, sparking immediate debate.

By refusing to acknowledge any rival, Ibrahimovic made it clear that in his eyes, no one surpassed him—not even Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, two players widely regarded as the greatest of all time. Naturally, the post drew significant reaction and fueled discussions among fans in the comments.

The list of names mentioned in the video included Sergio Aguero, Edinson Cavani, Wayne Rooney, Didier Drogba, Robert Lewandowski, Luis Suarez, Karim Benzema, and finally Messi and Ronaldo. However, that mattered little to Zlatan, who made it clear where he stands on who he considers the best player on the list.

Ibrahimovic once named the greatest player in the world

Despite his trademark self-confidence and belief that he stood above most players, Ibrahimovic has, on at least one occasion, named someone else as the best in the world. Interestingly, that choice was not among the names mentioned in UEFA’s viral video.

While many might expect him to choose iconic figures like Pele, Diego Maradona, or modern stars such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, the Swedish striker went in a different direction—though one just as deserving of recognition—selecting Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazario.

“O Fenomeno… I don’t even need to describe him. I’ve always said there are players who play soccer and others who are soccer . For me, Ronaldo is soccer. When you watched him, you wanted to be like him and play like him—the way he moved, his change of pace, his dribbling. It was incredible. For me, without a doubt, he’s the best in history,” Ibrahimovic said in a 2021 interview with UEFA, expressing his admiration for the Brazilian great.

In an interview with Italy’s Corriere TV, Ibrahimovic reflected on the elite defenders he faced and teamed up with throughout his 24-year career. While he acknowledged the caliber of several legends, one name ultimately stood above the rest.

“There are so many. If you play in Italian soccer, you’re going to face a lot of strong defenders,” Ibrahimovic said. “Ten years ago, defenders were tougher; there wasn’t even VAR. You had to go up against players like Paolo Maldini, Nesta, Stam, Chiellini, Thiago Silva…” he recalled.

When pressed to name the best, Ibrahimovic didn’t hesitate to choose Thiago Silva. “When I played with him, I always said it was like having an Ibrahimovic in defense,” Zlatan said. “He was the most complete defender; he could do it all. Then we went to Paris together, and we won so much. He’s a top defender,” he concluded.

Thiago Silva reflects on joining PSG with Ibrahimovic

Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva formed a formidable partnership, appearing in over 200 games together for both AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain. The duo left Milan in 2012 to join PSG, and Thiago Silva shared a memorable moment about how their joint move unfolded.

“Right after I signed with PSG, Zlatan called me to confirm if I had really signed,” Thiago Silva said in a 2019 interview. “I told him I had, and he said, ‘You’re not joking, right? If you’re not going, I won’t sign. And if you’re lying, I’ll come find you,’” Silva recounted with a laugh.

Zlatan’s legacy: A career to remember

Zlatan Ibrahimovic officially retired at 41 after winning a Serie A title with AC Milan, capping off nearly a quarter-century of professional soccer. Over the course of his career, the Swedish striker played 827 matches, scoring an incredible 561 goals. This achievement places him among the top 15 goal-scorers in soccer history and one of the top seven in this century.

Gyökeres is enjoying a phenomenal season, racking up 24 goals and 4 assists in 21 matches, including a stunning hat-trick against Manchester City in Sporting’s 4-1 victory in the UEFA Champions League. This incredible form follows a standout campaign last season, where he tallied 43 goals and 15 assists in 50 games, playing a key role in Sporting’s Primeira Liga title win.

Speaking to UEFA’s media team ahead of Sporting’s Champions League matchup with Club Brugge, Gyökeres expressed his admiration for the legendary duo. “The players who inspire me are Zlatan Ibrahimović and Cristiano Ronaldo,” he said. “Because of the way they behave on the pitch. They went above and beyond what was expected—that’s what impressed me. I want to do similar things on the pitch.”

He added: “In today’s football, you need to be physically strong, have the talent to score goals, and communicate well with teammates. My three best qualities are my physicality, my finishing, and being in the right place to score.”

Gyökeres on handling criticism

Despite his young age, Gyökeres offered a composed response when asked about dealing with criticism. “When you receive negative criticism, you have to try not to take it too seriously. We shouldn’t rush when we’re doing well, and we shouldn’t let ourselves get down when things aren’t going so well,” he explained.

He also shared advice for aspiring forwards. “If I were to give one piece of advice to other forwards, it would be: Don’t compare yourself to others. It doesn’t matter if you’re playing for a big club at the same age—you should keep working and focus only on yourself. Time flies if you do things well,” Gyokeres added.

Is Gyökeres heading for a Sporting exit?

Gyökeres has flourished under the guidance of former Sporting CP manager Ruben Amorim, who recently departed the club to take over at Manchester United. Since Amorim’s exit, Sporting has struggled, fueling speculation about the 26-year-old striker’s future.

With a €100 million release clause in his contract, Gyökeres could soon find himself at a new club. Following Sweden’s 2-1 win over Slovakia in the UEFA Nations League, where Gyökeres scored the decisive goal, the forward hinted at an open future when asked about a potential move. “A new club? We’ll see when the time comes,” he said. “I want to play—that’s fundamental… but there will also be other factors.”

Over 24 years, Ibrahimovic played for some of the world’s most prestigious clubs, including Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, LA Galaxy, and AC Milan. However, the Swedish icon recently admitted there’s one European giant he would have loved to represent but never had the chance to.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Zlatan revealed his admiration for German soccer and expressed a desire to play for Bayern Munich, Germany’s most successful club.

“The soccer in Germany is extraordinary. I have a lot of respect for German soccer and their national team,” Ibrahimovic said. “I love the stadiums they have; they’re always full,” he added.

Ibrahimovic and his admiration for Bayern Munich

“Playing for a club like Bayern Munich wouldn’t have been bad at all—their history, their players… For me, Bayern is one of the five biggest clubs in the world,” Ibrahimovic admitted.

“They wouldn’t have been able to buy me,” he joked. “But honestly, there was never an opportunity. It would’ve been interesting, but destiny had other plans for me,” he concluded.

The one title Zlatan never won: The Champions League

Despite never winning the UEFA Champions League, Ibrahimovic’s trophy cabinet is filled with accolades. He secured five Serie A titles (three with Inter Milan, two with AC Milan), 12 trophies with PSG, in the Netherlands he won three trophies with Ajax, five titles with Barcelona, and four more with Manchester United.

Additionally, Zlatan ranks 14th on the all-time list of soccer’s greatest goal scorers and sixth among players who competed during the 21st century.

American defender Oguchi Onyewu had faced challenges during his time at AC Milan, mostly from not playing and a major injury. So when Zlatan Ibrahimović went in hard on a challenge in training, it was clear that “Gooch” was frustrated with the striker, but it was Zlatan who got in the face of Onyewu and paid the price for it.

In an interview with the Fala, Brasólho podcast, former AC Milan striker Alexandre Pato gave major details on the fight that is now known as the day Zlatan Ibrahimović “got beat up.”

Zlatan Ibrahimović- Oguchi Onyewu as told by Alexandre Pato

Alexandre Pato stated, “Let me tell you in detail. So we went to play a little game, like five v five. Onyewu is a big defender. Ibra had the ball so he went to mark him, then Onyewu unintentionally hit him ‘bam’. The thing is Ibra’s foot is huge, so it was hard to tackle without hitting it.”

“We knew it had no malice. Onyewu was just coming from an injury and starting to train again. He controlled the ball with his back to Ibra, then Ibra went in with both feet on Onyewu, really trying to hurt him.”

“They both fell to the ground. Onyewu got up calmly. He was really nice, with a heart of gold. Ibra is more repulsive, he got up immediately and started insulting him. Ibra was cursing in Swedish, we didn’t understand what he was saying. He tried to grab Onyewu like this (by the collar), and tried to throw him to the ground.”

“What did Onyewu do? He grabbed Ibra and ‘bam’. He threw him down instead. It was easy for Onyewu, like drinking a glass of water.Imagine Ibra, that guy is huge. But Onyewu grabbed him and threw him to the ground easily. He then jumped on top of him, pinned him down, and raised his arm.”

“When he did that, I said to him: ‘Stop, my God, stop. You’re going to kill him! If we didn’t break it up, I don’t know what would’ve happened to Ibra.”

LAFC stands a huge chance of qualifying for the postseason, and it is when the team will be hoping the World Cup winner truly explodes.

In a recent interview with The Guardian, the 37-year-old shared his first impressions of MLS, his new lifestyle, and the travel in the United States to get from game to game.

Olivier Giroud on MLS

“There’s so much different here, but I love the lifestyle,” Giroud stated in the interview with The Guardian. “My kids have the opportunity to play football and go swimming after school. I’m lucky enough to have a swimming pool at home, and I put together some goals so they can play football. They really enjoy their life, and so do I. I’m very sociable. I like to meet people. I already have a few friends living in LA, so therefore the adaptation was quite quick. Plus, I have some ‘Frenchies,’ some guys who can speak French.”

One of the big reasons Giroud joined MLS was after talking to Zlatan Ibrahimović, a former player who, at times, talked down about MLS to maintain his public persona, but behind the scenes has been a sort of ambassador for the league.

“When I told (Zlatan) that I wanted to play for LAFC, he told me, ‘In MLS, you will enjoy it.’ It’s a good championship for strikers because sometimes there are more open spaces, and you can have more chances to score goals. He was happy for me because he really enjoyed his years in MLS.”

When it comes to the style of play in MLS, the former AC Milan striker was upbeat about where MLS stands as a good league. “To be honest with you, I’ve been impressed by the intensity in the game,” Giroud said. “There’s a difference with Europe tactically because the teams are playing to score goals. There is really this desire to always go forward and score goals. It’s nice for strikers and for the fans. And there’s quality. There are great players.”

Like all new players, especially those that come from Europe, MLS can be intimidating when it comes to traveling. Giroud noted that, “Here, I’ve already done 20 hours of flight in a month. So it’s important to be even more professional in your recovery—sleeping well, eating well, and doing the treatments you need to be fit.”

Only a select few players have outscored Ibrahimovic, who made his mark in some of the world’s top leagues. With his incredible ability to find the back of the net and his vast experience, Ibrahimovic is more than qualified to weigh in on who he believes is the greatest player in soccer history.

Having played for elite clubs like Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, AC Milan, PSG, and Manchester United, and boasting over 30 titles, Zlatan’s opinion carries significant weight in the soccer world.

While many would expect him to choose iconic figures like Pelé, Diego Maradona, or modern-day stars like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, the Swedish star took a slightly different route, but one equally deserving of recognition, as he chose Ronaldo Nazario.

“For me, Ronaldo is football. The way he moved. For me, he’s the best player in history, without a doubt. I always followed him and admired him because he did things with the ball that we all wanted to do,” Ibrahimovic said in an interview with UEFA, expressing his admiration for the Brazilian legend.

Ronaldo Nazario names his greatest soccer players

In a 2022 interview with The Guardian, Brazilian icon Ronaldo Nazário reflected on the history of soccer and named his top eight players of all time. “I believe there’s a very special group where you have Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer, Pelé, Marco van Basten, Ronaldinho… I include myself,” said Ronaldo, notably leaving Cristiano Ronaldo out of his list.

Despite his personal opinion, Ronaldo acknowledged that it’s all subjective and left room for fans to weigh in: “Let the fans decide, let them debate it in the bars. But you can’t rank them, you can’t compare generations,” he concluded.

During the presentation, Ibrahimovic exclaimed: “This is the SUPER…”. Immediately, Ceferin interrupted him with a loud “Shhhh… I told you that was never going to happen.” With this brief but forceful sentence, the UEFA president made a clear allusion to the failed European Super League project, an initiative that sought to create a closed and elitist competition, pitting the most powerful clubs in Europe against each other.

The moment, captured by the cameras and quickly going viral on social media has become one of the most talked-about topics of the day. Ceferin’s mockery of the Super League has been interpreted as a symbolic victory for UEFA and the traditional values of European soccer.

The European Super League: a failed project

The European Super League was announced with great fanfare in April 2021 by a group of clubs, including Real Madrid and Barcelona. However, the project faced fierce opposition from UEFA, national associations, governments, and fans, who saw it as a threat to the essence of soccer.

The pressure exerted by all these stakeholders forced the founding clubs to withdraw from the project within days, revealing the unfeasibility of a competition that sought to break away from the existing structure of European soccer.

The Champions League: Stronger than ever

The failure of the Super League has further strengthened the position of UEFA and the Champions League. The top continental club competition remains the ultimate dream for any soccer player and team, and its prestige has only increased in recent years.

This season’s draw, featuring powerhouses like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester City, and Bayern Munich, is a testament to the enormous appeal the Champions League continues to hold for fans around the world.

Therefore, it may be hard to make a lineup of the best players who played under Mou without leaving big names aside. The Portuguese has recently dared to do so, overlooking the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Karim Benzema, and Sergio Ramos.

Mourinho recently sat down with The Obi One Podcast, and while the full episode will be released on Monday, December 18, the show already revealed what the manager’s best XI looks like:

Petr Cech; Javier Zanetti, John Terry, Ricardo Carvalho, William Gallas; Claude Makelele, Frank Lampard, Mesut Ozil; Cristiano Ronaldo, Didier Drogba, Eden Hazard.

Mourinho leans on Chelsea success

Mou’s team is dominated by former Chelsea players, with little presence of Inter Milan (Zanetti) and Real Madrid (Ozil, Ronaldo). Meanwhile, the 60-year-old didn’t name a single player from his time at Manchester United, Tottenham or his current Roma squad.

For instance, he had countless options at goalkeeper: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), David de Gea (Manchester United), Julio Cesar (Inter Milan), or Vitor Bahia, who was Porto’s keeper in the 2004 Champions League success. But Cech was instrumental in Mou’s path to stardom at Stamford Bridge, so his choice makes sense.

While he surprisingly left out the likes of Ramos or Lucio in the defense, many fans were shocked not to see Ashley Cole at left back. Xabi Alonso was another notable absentee, though Mourinho’s choices in the midfield and attack were less controversial for the soccer community.

One of the questions Piers Morgan asked Zlatan was over the recent trend of top soccer players going to Saudi Arabia to play. Ibrahimovic was very firm in his response and the former AC Milan striker did not mince words.

“I had an offer also from China. I had an offer also from Saudi, but the situation is, what do you want? “What objectives do you have?” For Ibrahimovic it was about staying relevant and playing at the top of his game.

Ibrahimovic on Saudi Pro League

“I said before we started, like certain players need to finish their career on the big stage because that is the high end of your career. You have to be remembered for your talent, not for what you earned.

“Because if you were remembered in the opposite way, what we are training every day for, what we are being recognized for, is our talent and that’s what you want to be remembered for. So, I think certain players that reach a certain level, they have to stop at a certain stage, and that’s the big stage.”

Zlatan added, “Some players needed the situations where you can earn a lot of money because they didn’t earn enough.”