Link: http://www.acmilan.com/en/news/show/134628

They shouldn't have to say Baresi (historic Milan captain) on the offical news page. If people don't know who Baresi is, they shouldn't be Milan fans.

A little Zlatan history

When Zlatan Ibrahimovic was born at Malmö General Hospital October 3, 1981 he weighed nearly five kilos. Yet he wasn't the biggest of the group while growing up. That title belonged to his childhood friend Tony Flygare.

- Zlatan was tall for his age but Tony was a head taller than everyone else. In those days it was impossible to imagine that Zlatan would grow as he did, says Ivica Kurtovic, coach for the boys teams where Zlatan played from the age of nine.

Zlatan had begun his career a few years earlier, he was still a child who was trying out a sport. But he was also a child who demonstrated unique talent and above all had one characteristic that stood out.

- Zlatan was absolutely fearless on the pitch, says Ivica. He put his head where others wouldn't even dare put their little finger.

Ivica notes that the players on the team fell away one after another on the way to the elite, although they all had the potential to go far. Tony Flygare made his way quickly up through MFF's various youth teams and became a professional first team player, but after that his career went downwards and he later played for various lower division clubs.

- Many of the players could have been as good as Zlatan. What tipped the scales was the attitude. Few from the team missed a traing session, but Zlatan ... he wanted even more. I often saw him in the yard playing by himself when I was riding my bike home in the evenings during those years.

When Zlatan describes his childhood a lot of it is about "gården" -the yard. He grew up on Cronmans way in Rosengård. There was a gravel pitch, no larger than 5x15 meters. Zlatan spent most of his waking hours there.

- All the time I had I put into football. Right after school I went out there in the yard, almost every day. I played until it got dark ... and sometimes even longer, Zlatan says.

The football pitch in the yard is still there but the gravel is replaced by rubber, the goals are gold and now there are lights so the children are no longer dependent on daylight to play. Zlatan himself has funded the initiative known as Zlatan Open Court. He says it's his way of giving something back to Rosengård. At the entrance to the court is a plaque signed by Zlatan: "Here is my heart. Here is my story. Here is my game. Take it further."


When Zlatan joined Malmö as a 13-year-old, football became even more serious. In the city's main football club, he encountered a more organized training. There were set pieces, tactical plays and theoretical football knowledge. Even the coaches from that time says that Zlatan was an avid player who never missed a traing session. He scored quite a lot of goals in the MFF's boys teams and went to Fotbollsgymnasiet in Borgarskolan (high school with a football program). But Zlatan still wasn't satisfied with his development. His childhood friend Tony Flygare was bigger, stronger and better. Zlatan's body couldn't keep up. In the spring of 1997 he was considering quitting football. The coaches Ola Gällstad, Ake Kallenberg and Johnny Gyllensjö tried to get him to change his mind.

- It was tough for him not to have the same strength as his teammates. He put himself in the wrong situations on the field, played a game he couldn't manage with his slim body, says Ola Gällstad who trained Zlatan in MFF's P16-team.

Zlatan's height worked against him. Since he had no muscles, his movements fluttered.

- A guy with Zlatan's length shouldn't have the technique that he has, says Gällstad. It's playing in the yard which has given him his technique. He is accustomed to playing on small fields, with few players. It has influenced him tremendously. But during these years he didn't have it easy. He weighed too little for his length and was like a puppy.

When the MFF's P16-team went on a training camp to Italy the highlight of the trip was a match at San Siro - Inter against Fiorentina. Ola Gällstad sat next to Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the stands. They talked about the fantastic atmosphere and was impressed by how Ronaldo, Zlatan's great idol, dominated down on the grass. Zlatan turned to his coach and said: "Ola, I'll play in this field one day." His eyes were glowing and he looked convinced. Ola Gällstad was worried and thought, "He shouldn't put such high demands on himself."

- What made you feel it still could go well was his shot. He had an incredible touch. But this impatience to always deliver again went into everything. He had a short fuse and got angry when he didn't develop. We talked at least once a week with him about being patient. One week he could be brilliant, the next nothing was going well. At the same time, as a trainer he gave you so much in return. He was a good boy deep down, he could pull himself together. If we'd seen that it didn't get through to him, then perhaps we'd given up, then perhaps it wouldn't have been worth all the conversations.

Everything turned around in the summer of 1997. In a few months Zlatan grew nearly four inches, while his muscles grew stronger. Zlatan would soon be 16 years, senior football was a few years ahead and in hindsight it was a perfect time for his body to speed up. When his teammates, who'd had it easier was distracted by other interests and began to think that football was a burden, Zlatan put in a higher gear and developed more than ever.

(-Excerpts are from an article by Henrik Ysten and Vladimir Novak published in Fotbollskanalen)

This is a nice read. Thanks.

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Goes well with the article d'Arc.LP posted.

Aside from his day to day routine, what I really should have mentioned was how it explained his rise to stardom.

He has a great personality and is really well grounded, and it is shown in this video as well.

Good videos. Shows him in a different light to how some usually see zlatan. seems to look a rather quiet and cool fella. and he has one or two relateable ways (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) .

Zlatan at Stockholm amusement park Gröna Lund yesterday, riding the new wooden roller coaster Twister

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and what was he riding next... ?

... a pretty white pony.

LEAVE ZLATAN ALONE!!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cry.gif)

I like Zlatan's new samurai look. He looks badass.

<3,and they say he is arrogant.

Really in devastating form at the moment i hope he carries on like this ... and we could have a lead at the beginning of serie A (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) hopefully

Over the years Ibra is usually in a better shape in the first half of the season. Our training staff needs to make sure that he won't be jaded for the second part of the season.

Ibrahimovic makes Milan pledge

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Zlatan Ibrahimovic has committed his future to Milan. “I’ll stay here for life unless they sell me…”

The Swede joined the club from Barcelona last summer and immediately helped them to win the Scudetto.

“I was perhaps in the best team in the world at Barcelona, but that doesn’t matter if you are not happy,” he told Aftonbladet. “I feel a part of a family here.

“When you have a negative experience as I had at Barcelona, you appreciate things more when they go right.

“I don’t want to say too much about the Milan camp, all I will say is that it is fantastic and that is the truth.

“At no other club have I felt like I do at Milan. I’ll stay here for life, at least until 2014. I won’t ever leave Milan unless they decide to sell me.”

Ibra has started pre-season well after he was allowed to join the squad at a later date following an extended summer break.

“They gave me an extra week off because they understood that I needed a longer holiday. I needed to rest physically and mentally too.

“I feel really strong right now. I’m happy because Milan understand me and they listen to me.”


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