HE has spent most of his 12-year career looking up to him – now Sunderland midfielder Seb Larsson finally gets the chance to line up against Zlatan Ibrahimovich in a competitive environment.
Larsson has won 87 senior international caps for Sweden since making his debut in 2008, and the vast majority have seen him lining up alongside Ibrahimovich, who is widely regarded as the greatest Swedish player of all time.
The pair have appeared in three major tournaments together, but prior to this weekend, their paths had never crossed domestically.
That will change on Monday, when Sunderland’s Boxing Day fixture takes them to Old Trafford to face Manchester United, and Larsson is particularly looking forward to encountering one member of the opposition.
“I’ve played against him (Ibrahimovich) plenty of times in training, that’s for sure, but I don’t think I’ve ever come up against him in a competitive match,” said Larsson, who recently returned from a serious knee problem to help bolster Sunderland’s injury-ravaged midfield. “I’ve played loads of games with him, though.
“Do I speak to him every day? No, I don’t really speak to him at all outside of football but it’s nice to see him in the Premier League. I think that’s something everyone wanted to see and he’s got 16 goals now so he’s not doing too badly.”
Ibrahimovich’s arrival in English football in his mid-30s – the striker turned 35 in October – led some to question whether he would be capable of succeeding in the Premier League.
For all that he might have scored one of the most memorable goals of the last decade against the England national team, Ibrahimovich had developed a reputation for struggling against English club sides in European competitions.
That reputation has been well and truly put to bed this season, with the Manchester United striker having scored ten goals in his last nine outings, and while Jose Mourinho’s side might still not quite be firing on all cylinders, Ibrahimovich will provide a considerable threat to Sunderland’s back four.
Larsson always expected his compatriot to be a huge hit at Old Trafford, and regards him as one of the most talented players he has encountered.
“Without a doubt, he’s one of the best players I’ve ever played with,” he said. “I had a few games with some top players at Arsenal as well, but it’s him and a couple of others if I had to pick the best.”
As well as being known for his talent, Ibrahimovich also has a reputation for being a prickly character, tinged with a touch of arrogance.
In fairness, his temperament has not been an issue this season, and Larsson claims his personality has always been somewhat misunderstood.
“I get on with most people, and I get on well with Zlatan, there are no issues whatsoever,” said Larsson. “He’s a true winner, that’s for sure. He doesn’t accept anything else but winning, whether it’s just training or whatever it is.
“I think that shows in the amount of medals he’s got during his career. It will be interesting, but I definitely hope he draws a blank when he comes up against us.”
John O’Shea could be one of the players charged with the task of stopping Ibrahimovich, with David Moyes having to manage his defensive resources carefully over the busy festive period.
The Irishman spent more than a decade playing for Manchester United, and admits it is always a special experience to return to Old Trafford.
He was part of the Sunderland team that beat Manchester United over two legs to reach the final of the Capital One Cup in 2014, and while the current side will have to be defensively resolute if they want to claim anything on Monday, O’Shea claims it is important they also attempt to get on the front foot.
“They (Man United) have hit a little bit of form recently, but when you go there, you do get a chance to play,” said O’Shea, who was speaking during a visit to the homeless charity, Centrepoint, in Sunderland. “You have to express yourself.
“We have to be brave enough to get on the ball, which we have been doing in away games. We’ve been causing teams problems, as you will when you have Victor (Anichebe) and Jermain (Defoe).
“It’s a shame Adnan (Januzaj) can’t play against United because he has full fitness now, and showed glimpses of what he can do against Watford. He could be a big player for us in the second part of the season.”
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