The World’s Most Overrated Player?

One of the best things about having moved to Sweden (besides the obvious that to watch any European football means not having to set my alarm to get up at some crazy hour!) is to be further exposed to the sublime skills of one Zlatan Ibrahimovich. I’ll never forget a remark made by Martin O’Neill during the World Cup in Germany while he was commentating for English television. He said that Zlatan was “the most overrated footballer in the world”. It’s funny the way things like that stick in your mind, because I have never been able to respect O’Neill as a manager since that statement. I mean, if his judgement is that bad about Zlatan, what else is he getting wrong?

But I digress… In Sweden they are quite proud of their football exports be they Zlatan, Svennis or the many others in between. The good thing about this is that as a product of this pride they show all Inter Milan games on television so the Swedes can keep tabs on their most skilful and important international player. Because of this I have been able to see quite a lot of Zlatan in action and he has really taken his game up another notch since his surprisingly subdued World Cup in Germany last year (it was later reported that he was hampered by a groin injury).

He’s always had the talent, I remember watching him during Euro 2004 and he produced that memorable piece of improvisation against Italy (see Zlatan Ibrahimovich's Nice Goal below.). Since leaving Juventus after a lacklustre 05/06 season he is turning those trademark flashes of brilliance into more consistent high-level performances: statistically he scored 15 goals last season compared to 7 the year before at Juve. This year he’s already scored 6 goals and after watching him in action on the weekend against Livorno, I think if he stays healthy will easily score more than 15 goals this season. Just seeing him as a goal scorer alone would be doing him a great disservice though. What I really love about Zlatan is his ability to bring others into the game and, even more so, his ability to time and again make defence-splitting passes.

I believe we make many judgements of players influenced by cultural stereotypes due to a footballer’s nationality. I firmly believe that if Zlatan came from, say, Brazil instead of Sweden (not exactly a football culture known for its flair) with his armoury of tricks he would be on par with a Ronaldhino as far as being a star of world football. On that note, for those of you who haven’t seen much of him, or even if you have, there’s some highlights I posted below from You Tube for your enjoyment from his most recent season with Inter as well as another more lighthearted clip that still manages to show off his freakish skills.

Lastly, I’ve always felt that there are similarities between Zlatan and Mark Viduka. Both tall, but at the same time exceptionally good on the ball. Both criticised at times for looking lazy and disinterested, both capable of the sublime and the infuriating on the same day. I would have loved for Viduka to play in Italy, I really think that league would have suited him so well. The slower tempo of the game in Italy would have allowed a player such as Viduka to exploit his fantastic technical skills to maximum effect, it is such a shame that it looks like he will finish his career in England. He’s still really effective at Newcastle and I’m sure if he stays fit he will score many goals, but watching him on the weekend chase long ball after long ball hoofed in his direction my concern is that the tactics(?!) of big Sam Allardyce are not going to suit him that well. He looked absolutely spent when he came off relatively early in the second half after scoring twice on Saturday.

Oh well, instead of seeing Viduka in an Inter or AC Milan shirt you can watch a younger version of him in the form of Zlatan glide around the San Siro. For this Australian, it’s hard to do so without shaking off the feeling of “if only” though…..