Zlatan Ibrahimovic has never been shy about his own greatness. But the Swedish legend is pointing the spotlight somewhere else now, and it’s aimed at a kid who just made his World Cup debut look like a pickup game.
After Spain’s 4-0 demolition of Saudi Arabia in Atlanta, Ibrahimovic went on FOX Sports and dropped a take that’s getting a lot of attention. When asked about Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal, he didn’t hedge.
“He is the best player in the world,” Ibrahimovic said. “He’s a special player.”
And before you roll your eyes thinking it’s just one legend hyping the next generation — Zlatan doesn’t hand out praise like that. He once said he doesn’t do auditions. So when he says Yamal is the best, it means something.
Yamal needed all of 10 minutes to score against Saudi Arabia, sliding in at the far post to bury a cross from Mikel Oyarzabal. That made him the second player aged 18 or younger to open the scoring in a World Cup match. The other guy was Pelé. Not bad company.
Spain’s coaching staff kept him on a pitch count because of a previous hamstring issue, so he only played the first half. But in those 45 minutes, he tore apart the Saudi defense and helped set up a 4-0 win that felt easy.
Ibrahimovic emphasized what makes Yamal different from everyone else playing right now.
“Every time he gets the ball, he’s going to create something, no matter if he has two or three defenders in front of him,” Zlatan said.
Think about that. A guy known for his own ridiculous confidence is basically saying this teenager sees defenses the same way he did. That’s not just a compliment. That’s Zlatan acknowledging a kindred spirit.
Rooney said the same thing
Wayne Rooney also jumped on the Yamal bandwagon after this game. The former England star was impressed by how calm Yamal looked in his first World Cup appearance, especially against a team that tried to rough him up early.
Two of the most famous forwards of the last 20 years, both saying the same thing about a kid who isn’t old enough to rent a car in most states. That matters.
Yamal has been Barcelona’s most dangerous attacking weapon all season, and now he’s carrying that form onto the biggest stage in soccer. He’s still growing into his frame, still learning when to speed up and when to slow down. But the raw ability is something that doesn’t come around often.
Spain’s next group game is against Argentina, which should give Yamal another chance to prove Zlatan right. Or at least keep the conversation going.
For now, Ibrahimovic has said what a lot of people watching closely already suspected. The best player in the world might already be here. He just can’t legally drink yet.
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