As Zlatan once said, Zlatan’s the man: A Žižekian analysis of Zlatan Ibrahimovic — Julian Paul Merrill

Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored his 500th career goal in a spectacular fashion this month. While running in the box, he received a lob pass and did a 360° roundhouse spin-kick, thereby hammering the ball into the net. It was a classic Zlatan goal, a stroke of football magic of the kind only he seems capable of. Ibrahimovic made sure no one missed this: “The last goal cannot happen again. Only I can score a goal like that.”¹

This, too, is classic Zlatan. There may be a few players in the world (Messi and Ronaldo) that are considered better overall players, but when it comes to larger-than-life charisma on and off the pitch, no football personality is bigger than Zlatan’s.

After Ibrahimovic signed for L.A. Galaxy this year, he took out a full-page ad in the L.A. Times that simply read: Dear Los Angeles, you’re welcome.² When asked on Jimmy…