At 43, Ibrahimovic got the better of many top defenders, but some centre-backs truly challenged him. ..Continue Reading
The Swede played for several legendary clubs—Juventus, Ajax, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Barcelona, and Manchester United—during his illustrious career, scoring 496 goals and providing 202 assists in 827 club appearances before retiring in 2023.
He has played with and against some of the greatest attackers, such as Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho, and Cristiano Ronaldo. But which five defenders did he consider the ‘strongest’, and who did he dub the ‘most complete’ defender he played with and against?
Names like Carles Puyol, Gerard Pique, and Sergio Ramos might come to mind, but none of them made Zlatan’s top five.
“There are many, if one played in Italy, he played against many strong defenders,” said Ibrahimovic in an interview with Corriere TV in 2021 [via Milan News].
“Ten years the defenders were worse, there was not even the VAR.
“If I have to name names, I say Paolo Maldini, Nesta, Stam, Chiellini, Thiago Silva…”
“When I was playing with him [Silva], I said that I have an Ibrahimovic in defence,” he added.
“He was the most complete defender; he knew how to do everything. Then we also went to Paris together, we won together. He is a top defender.”
The duo shared the pitch 195 times, representing both Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan. The Brazilian, now 40, continues his career with Fluminense in his homeland after departing Premier League club Chelsea at the conclusion of the 2023/24 season.
Thiago Silva joined PSG in 2012, the same year as Zlatan Ibrahimovic. He recently disclosed what Ibrahimovic said to him when they found out they’d be teammates in Paris.
“Immediately after I signed with PSG, Zlatan called me to ask if I had really signed,” Silva told Calcio Mercato in 2019.
“I said yes, and he said: ‘No joke, eh? If you don’t go, I won’t sign, and if you lie to me, I’ll come and get you’.”
