The Zlatan Phenomenon

From the desk of the Editor
Menno Pot
October 23, 2001

The ink on his contract with Ajax was still wet as the first reports came seeping through in the Dutch media: 'Zlatan is punch-up prone!' He had reportedly punched Malmö FF's goalkeeper, Jonnie Fedel, in the face during training and was sent home. According to some football webzines, second goalkeeper Lee Baxter was the next Malmö player to be attacked by his 1.93 metres tall team-mate. Also, there was a red card for Zlatan, in the Swedish league, and a handful of yellow ones.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, only 19 years old, was a celebrity in Sweden. Even his former schoolteacher was quoted in the Swedish media: Zlatan was "one of the five noisiest pupils" he had ever come across. And then there was this story about Zlatan impersonating a policeman in Malmö's red light district, chasing what appeared to be a punter. The man turned out to be a social worker, not a client, and Zlatan was arrested. But not just like that. It took the Malmö police a good car chase to collar him.

Apparently, even the gift he bought his girlfriend for their engagement was news in Sweden. For the record, Zlatan's answer to the question about what the gift was gonna be was: "Gift? What gift? She's got Zlatan!"

One thing was crystal clear, long before Zlatan took his first steps on Dutch soil: there were no problems in the self-esteem department. This guy was a superstar. He behaved like one, to say the least. But was he really going to be the self-proclaimed "gift" from heaven for Ajax? Hadn't the Amsterdammers just paid over $7 million for the next Dani - the type that was going to spend at least as many hours in the bars in Rembrandtplein as on the ArenA training pitch?

Frankly, it seemed worth the risk. Ajax desparately needed some colourful types, to make up for the - by Ajax standards - remarkably high number of relative pale children: Pasanen, De Cler, Knopper, Van der Meyde. Nice boys, talented players, but so... ordinary. Johan Cruijff and Patrick Kluivert were not exactly the low-key type guys either, were they? Some swank-pots were welcome, especially up front, where compensation for the sensitive and easily disconcerted Nikos Machlas seemed desperately needed.

Now, we've already had 25% of the 2001-2002 Eredivisie. How's the superstar doing?

I am a fan, no doubt about it, so let's get the negative stuff out of the way first: Zlatan is definitely not on his way to scoring 20 goals this season. As of 23 October, he was in the starting line-up in seven official games and got to play 164 minutes as a substitute. He scored three goals, although the one at Feyenoord counts for ten to many Ajax fans. Zlatan seems to be on pace for a 10-goal rather than for a 20-goal season.

No car chases or policeman impersonations so far, nor has goalkeeper Fred Grim been attacked during training. However, some of Zlatan's reputation turned out to be correct. An Apollon Limassol and an FC Groningen defender got acquainted with Zlatan's hard elbows, with his first major suspension as a result: five league games, for a disgraceful foul against FC Groningen's Melchior Schoenmakers.

But - please allow me to rave for a while - have we seen some amazing stuff! Remember the incredible run through the Liverpool defense at the Amsterdam Tournament, and the beautiful flick-on with which he sent Wamberto on his way to 0-2 at FC Twente. And remember how powerless Nikos Machlas suddenly seemed when Zlatan wasn't there, at RKC. All of a sudden, Ajax was simply unable to keep the ball upfront. Zlatan's ability to remain in possession with two defenders pushing in his back became evident when he wasn't there to show it.

Zlatan is the kind of player that seems to have glue on his soccer boots: he accepts the ball on his foot, bends his long limbs protecting it - and doesn't let go. His movements may look phlegmatic, his bearing loutish and his play gangly, but every contact with the ball is like a kiss, so gentle, so gracious and with such stunning technical ability. Every Ajax fan just has to love him.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is not the revelation of the season. Impossible, with Rafaël van der Vaart around. Also, Mido and Hatem Trabelsi seem to have adjusted to the Ajax system more easily than Zlatan. But, more than anyone else, Zlatan has brought back the swagger into Ajax, and those invaluable moments of breath-taking beauty.

Zlatan was what Ajax needed, in many ways. A gift, indeed. And we have not even fully unwrapped it yet.