LA Galaxy hired Ibrahimović and reinforced Major League Soccer with another world figure

Leer en español: MLS: ¿Aterriza otra superestrella?

In the last decade, Major League Soccer has become the competition where the greatest figures in the world of football come to take advantage of their last years of career. Whether for economic or sports reasons, the great superstars – who knew how to shine in the football of the old continent – are tempted to join the MLS. Zlatan Ibrahimović is the last figure who has decided to deploy all his talent in this league, which welcomes with open arms great players who are coming to retirement.

'Ibra', the "god" that arrives to LA

Considered by many to be the best player in Swedish history, striker Zlatan Ibrahimović arrives at the MLS with LA Galaxy, a club that brings him directly from England. 'Ibra', of 36 years and of great soccer route, belonged to Manchester United, club with which he signed since June 2016.

With the Red Devils, the player won a Community Shield, a League Cup, and a UEFA Europa League, and he scored 29 goals in 53 games. The successful passage of Zlatan by United was indisputable, until a serious injury that occurred on April 20, 2017 stopped everything. The injury took him away from the courts for almost a semester and he lost the title. Zlatan returned in November 2017, but his level was not the same.

Ibrahimović decided to end his time as a United player on March 22. He communicated the decision to the entire world through a publication on his Instagram. The announcement came with words of thanks to the club and with an image where a devil appears shaking the hand of a Zlatan portrayed as a god. A day later, Zlatan once again used his social network, but on that occasion, he announced his signing for LA Galaxy with an egocentric message:

"Los Angeles, welcome to Zlatan". The always-controversial 'Ibra' arrives to the MLS, which has been reinforced with several world figures for several seasons.

The league that grows with stars

Zlatan Ibrahimović is just the last figure to reach the Major League Soccer, because the positioning strategy of the league has been based on hiring great players whose professional stage is ending. This strategy has been implemented for almost a decade. Zlatan will share a dressing room with great figures such as Englishman Ashley Cole and Mexican brothers Jonathan and Giovani dos Santos.

The other MLS teams also have their own stars:

• The German Bastian Schweinsteiger of the Chicago Fire.
• The Spanish David Villa of the New York City Football Club.
• The Panamanian Román Torres, the Argentine Nicolás Lodeiro, and the American Clint Dempsey of the Seattle Sounders.
• Dutchman Gregory van der Wiel, Italian Sebastian Giovinco, and Americans Jozy Altidore and Michael Bradley of Toronto FC.
• The Mexican Carlos Vela of Los Angeles Football Club.
• The Swiss Reto Ziegler and the Colombian Harold Santiago Mosquera of FC Dallas.
• The Argentine Diego Valeri and the Peruvian Andy Polo of the Portland Timbers.
• The Argentine Ezequiel Barco, the Paraguayan Miguel Almirón, and the Venezuelan Josef Martínez of Atlanta United FC.
• The Argentine Federico Higuain of the Columbus Crew.
• The Argentine Ignacio Piatti of the Montreal Impact.
• The Italian Antonio Nocerino of Orlando City.

Great world figures have joined MLS in the final part of their career and have greatly enhanced football in this country. Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Andrea Pirlo, Kaka', Alessandro Nesta, Thierry Henry, David Beckham, Robbie Keane, and Didier Drogba are some of the superstars who landed in Major League Soccer. Zlatan Ibrahimović is the last one to join this select group. North American soccer feeds on great superstars to empower its players, to provide a greater spectacle, and to attract more fans around the world, and surely 'Ibra' will help a lot in all these objectives.

LatinAmerican Post | Javier Aldana
Translated from “MLS: ¿Aterriza otra superestrella?”