Ibra anoints Mbappé as world's best ahead of Messi and Ronaldo
The Swede picked out the PSG forward as the most exciting player in the game, saying "he stands out above the rest," including Messi and Ronaldo.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is not a man to mince his words and has held forth on who he thinks the best player in the world is (presumably behind him), ignoring Barcelona’s Leo Messi and Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo and anointing PSG forward Kylian Mbappé.
Ibrahimovic and Mbappé did not coincide at the Parc des Princes, the Swede leaving the season before the arrival of the France phenomenon from Monaco in 2017, but said during an interview with GQ that the 20-year-old is the most impressive player currently plying his trade in the game.
“He is the difference-maker,” Ibrahimovic said. “He is still young and we hope that he continues to work hard. Despite his age he is already a star. I hope he keeps his hunger and that he doesn’t fall out of love with football so that he can keep improving and achieving things. To do so, he has to keep a cool head, which isn’t always easy.”
Ibra: "We all tried to copy Ronaldo when he was playing"
Ibrahimovic has previously stated that Ronaldo Nazario was the player he most admired, again over his contemporaries Messi and Ronaldo, and explained how he would try and emulate the Brazilian in his own game. “”When he was playing, we all tried to copy him. He had such an elegant style of play. I used to watch his games but I don’t so much any more. Right now my favourite is perhaps Mbappé, who stands out above all the rest.”
Ibrahimovic is a free agent and in talks with several clubs about a return to European football after his contract with LA Galaxy expires this month.