In case you’ve been living under a rock or don’t follow social media, the Galaxy finally concluded a multi-year chase for the signature of Zlatan Ibrahimovic this morning, as the Swedish superstar will join the LA Galaxy on a 2-year $3 million deal.
#zLAtan!!! Zlatan Ibrahimovic has signed a 2-year deal with the #LAGalaxy! https://t.co/TH0UkhQPLA
— LAG Confidential (@LAGConfidential) March 22, 2018
The move is a calculated risk for Sigi Schmid’s side, but a worthwhile one. On the field, the 6’5” target striker is as skillful as he is imposing, one of the world’s finest footballers capable of genius at any moment.
Of course, part of the appeal of signing Zlatan is his fiery personality off the field. Never a player to shy away from controversy, Ibrahimovic was already a popular figure before the #DareToZlatan campaign transformed the former Barcelona star into the demi-god personality we know and love today.
Earlier today in the collective frenzied midst of Soccer Twitter, knowledgeable soccer reporter and MLS contributor Charles Boehm shared a story from Ibra’s Paris St. Germain days when Zlatan just happened to be at RFK stadium. Check it out, and afterwards give Charlie a well-deserved follow.
In July 2012 DC United hosted PSG - who had just signed Ibra weeks before - for a preseason friendly at RFK Stadium. Even 6 yrs later it still seems a bit surreal that PSG would set foot in that place, but they did. Of course it drew a voracious, multinational media pack...
— Charles Boehm (@cboehm) March 22, 2018
Ibra stops, gives this guy the sideeye and says "but you don't ask me in Swedish. You don't speak it?"
— Charles Boehm (@cboehm) March 22, 2018
The guy stammers a sec and says, "it's for [blah blah] Sweden radio [something or other]." ...
I don't think I've ever experienced in person an athlete with personality and intelligence like Ibra. The swagger and streetsmarts radiated off him - it was so obvious that he knew his own value and was processing everything and everyone around him at an extremely high level.
— Charles Boehm (@cboehm) March 22, 2018
This guy is now in Major League Soccer. Excited yet?