30 | Tuesday, November 19, 2013

SPORT

Ibrahimovi Out to Turn the Tables and Sneak World Cup Place Ahead of Ronaldo
BY JOSHUA ROBINSON STOCKHOLMSwedens national soccer squad was jogging around the field, warming up for a practice, when a loose ball rolled into the path of Zlatan Ibrahimovi. The most misunderstood player in the world broke off from the pack and hit it with his right foot, striking from around the back of his left leg. The shot drilled a teammate in the back of the head. The teammate rubbed the spot, but never turned aroundpossibly because the ball could have only come from one place. Ibrahimovi kept jogging. The passing prank summed up everything that has confused managers and opponents throughout his career: incredible skill, questionable decision-making, no apologies. They also happen to be the same qualities that have turned him into Swedens biggest sporting hero this side of Bjrn Borg. It doesnt matter where we go, if were abroad or some place in Sweden, Ive never seen someone as big, who makes such an impression on people, said national team midfielder Alex Kaanikli. Its hard to explain. Sweden has been trying to explain him for more than a decade. But even Ibrahimovi, in the 2011 autobiography that was published in English for the first time this fall, struggles to do it. Still, no one is complaining. At 32, Ibrahimovi is in the form of his life. And Swedens hopes of qualifying for the World Cup are on his shoulders. Sweden lost the first-leg of its home-and-away series against Cristiano Ronaldos Portugal 1-0 in Lisbon on Friday. It now has to win by the same score here on Tuesday night to even force extra time. For us its not Ronaldo vs. Zlatan, Sweden manager Erik Hamren said on Monday. Its Portugal vs. Sweden. Ibrahimovi has always been considered an elite player and, in particular, a magnet for silverware. In the space of 12 seasons playing for six different teamsAjax Amsterdam, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, AC Milan, and PSGhe won 10 league titles. (The two Juventus titles were later vacated over corruption charges against the club.) But only in the past year or so did Ibrahimovi, known for his fiery temper and often tumultuous relationships with coaches, enter a conversation dominated by Lionel Messi and Ronaldo. I think, he has matured, said Lars Lagerback, who managed the Swedish national team at two World Cups. I always said when I was coaching Sweden, The only enemy he has is himself. The comparisons between Ibrahimovi and Ronaldo have taken on an extra dimension in the past week as the two squared off in the World Cup qualifying playoff, a home-andaway series that will deny one of them a place in Brazil next summer. Ronaldo is 28 years old, so barring injury, he should have a shot at the 2018 tournament in Russia regardless of what happens Tuesday night. Ibrahimovi turned 32 last month. In terms of the World Cup, this could be his last rodeo. Ibrahimovi hasnt addressed the news media since the team returned here. But his teammates said that, as their captain, he assured them after the game that Sweden would qualify for the tournament. No one here seems to doubt that Ibrahimovi can deliver the magic they need. Facing Ibrahimovi, according to Lagerback, is more difficult than squaring up to Ronaldo, because Ronaldo is more relying on his speed, I think... You know a little bit about what Ronaldo is doing, even if its difficult to play against. But Zlatan can pass the ball, he can finish, he can do the most extraordinary things. Hes an acrobat at the same time. Ive never seen footballers scoring goals in the way he has done. Only Ibrahimovi could possibly think that some of those shots were a good idea. There was the 40-yard screamer in the Champions League, one of four goals against Belgian club Anderlecht. There was his overthe-shoulder, backheel flick against Bastia, which took the flexibility of a contortionist and the imagination of a surrealist. who plays his club soccer with Paris Saint-Germain, has even driven interest here in the French league, which isnt considered in the top four Europe has to offer. According to data from Live Score Addicts, a Swedish company that allows fans to track their favorite teams and rate players, the most highly followed team among its 250,000 domestic users is PSG, ahead of Manchester United and Real Madrid. Zlatan, Ive never seen anyone as big as him in the way that people act around him, Kaanikli said. People go crazy when hes here. Ive never seen anything like it. He said it probably wasnt so different from traveling with The Beatles. Ibrahimovis teammates cant escape a mixed zone full of reporters without being asked a question along the lines of What about Zlatan? The Stockholm-based tabloid Aftonbladet has been running a contest to see which fan can come up with the best Zlatan song to chant at the game in the Swedish capitals Friends Arena. The paper also suggested a chant for getting under Ronaldos skin. It goes, Messi Messi Messi. After the first leg, however, its advantage Ronaldo. The Real Madrid star scored the winning goal in the 82nd minute. Meanwhile, as the Swedish papers have repeated all weekend, Ibrahimovi didnt have a single touch in the Portuguese penalty area. So there are no prizes for guessing Swedens game plan on Tuesday night. Hes the main man and theres always going to be focus on him, Kaanikli said. But we need to step up our game as well. We cannot always let him do everything. We need to be here too. We need to get him the ball.

Big Two in a Swedish Showdown

Portugals Cristiano Ronaldo is congratulated by Zlatan Ibrahimovi of Sweden at the end of their World Cup first-leg clash in Lisbon on Friday.

Sweden has been trying to explain him for more than a decade.
And, inevitably, the goal that always comes up in these discussions: the 35-yard bicycle kick lob, the highlight of a four-goal night here against England. After that game, fans wanted to rename the stadium here Zlatan Ibrahimovi Arena though it might as well be called that anyway. He deserves it, of course, midfielder Pontus Wernbloom said Monday. Hes the biggest thing that happened in Sweden in history. Wernbloom appeared to be joking. Mostly. The popularity of Ibrahimovic,

European Pressphoto Agency