As artist Paul Trevillion analyses Ibrahimovic's wonder goal, Sportsmail looks at why we all now know he's a genius...

By Matt Barlow

|

Zlatan Ibrahimovic gave himself the perfect 10 but for once he may have been guilty of underestimating his own importance.

For a start there was the wonder goal, a 30-yard propeller kick, the final piece in his four-goal demolition of England which quickly became an internet sensation, hailed as one of the best goals ever.

But there was more to it, because after a night when the Swedes declared their handsome new national stadium open for business, their captain’s heroics were considered capable of healing social wounds and stemming the rise of the political far-right in the country.

  • Even in slow motion, Zlatan Ibrahimovic's incredible acrobatic propeller kick is difficult to comprehend. He is 6ft 5in and 15st, so how did he leap eight feet in the air to score a 30-year goal? Artist Paul Trevillion explains...
1: Quick of thought and totally focused, he sights the ball and bends his knees to prepare

1: Quick of thought and totally focused, he sights the ball and bends his knees to prepare

2: The non-kicking left foot leaves the ground first

2: The non-kicking left foot leaves the ground first

3: The left foot's rapid upward swing gets him airbourne

3: The left foot's rapid upward swing gets him airbourne

4: In mid-air, he brings the kicking foot into play

4: In mid-air, he brings the kicking foot into play

5: The right foot strikes the ball in a looping goal-bound trajectory

5: The right foot strikes the ball in a looping goal-bound trajectory

6: The momentum of the strike spins him over before landing and celebrating

6: The momentum of the strike spins him over before landing and celebrating

Main man: Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates his goal

Main man: Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates his goal

It was, in short, some performance. ‘Zlatan’s Arena’ wrote the newspaper Expressen in honour of Ibrahimovic, who was born in Sweden of mixed Balkan descent. He is, indeed, some footballer, although it wasn’t always quite like this. Just as England debate how to get the best from Wayne Rooney, the Swedes for years did the same with their talisman.

Ibrahimovic had everything a modern centre forward might want and he won the title each year, be it with Ajax,  Juventus, Inter, Barcelona or AC Milan. Yet rarely did he summon such form with any consistency in a Sweden shirt.

When England beat the Swedes in a friendly at Wembley this time last year, he was anonymous, apparently uninterested, emitting strong vibes of impatience at the failings of his team-mates. It came soon after the publication of his book I, Zlatan in which he dared to criticise Pep  Guardiola and recalled how he told the all-conquering Barcelona boss: ‘I am  a Ferrari and you are driving me as if I am a Fiat.’ 

His strike-rate against English teams had been appalling, even though in 2010 he scored twice for Barca against Arsenal. Despite his unwavering self-belief, Ibrahimovic was conscious of popular opinion in England. The statistics would roll out every time he played here, along with the fact that, for all his posturing arrogance, he has failed to win the Champions League.

This year, however, something changed regarding Ibra the Enigma and his relationship with English football. It started when AC Milan destroyed Arsenal in the San Siro in February. Ibrahimovic scored once but there was more.

He was majestic as he orchestrated a 4-0 win for the Italian champions and he tormented England again in Kiev at Euro 2012, where he was the best player on the pitch despite defeat, as he embraced his new responsibilities in the national team.

When Erik Hamren took control he made a significant tactical tweak, abandoning the 4-4-2 formation to which Swedish football had been wed for many years.

Hamren adopted the increasingly fashionable 4-2-3-1 system but Ibrahimovic, who seemed to be the perfect centre forward for such a system, would be his playmaker in the No 10 role, as well as his captain.

In Stockholm, the stage was set as  Sweden declared its new 50,000-seat Friends Arena open for business with the nation locked in a debate about immigration, prompted by growing support for far-right party Sweden Democrats.

Ibrahimovic, born in Malmo to parents from Bosnia and Croatia, is a totem for Sweden in the 21st century and his  heroics against England on Wednesday were celebrated across the country.

After recovering from four down to draw 4-4 with Germany in a World Cup qualifier last month, Swedish fans rejoiced in a thrilling 4-2 win against England, the beauty of the final goal and one of the great individual efforts. But there was more.

Sportbladet dubbed him ‘Sweden’s Pride’, and Pontus Wernbloom said: ‘They probably weren’t happy with that, the idiots. I hope Zlatan shut them up.’

Kim Kallstrom added: ‘He is a modern Swede who stands for new Sweden. With foreign-born parents and certain  problems in society, he can hopefully unite the country in a good way.’

If he does this, Ibrahimovic may be justified in upgrading the mark he awarded himself for his contribution to Swedish football from a 10 to an 11.

 

 
>

The comments below have been moderated in advance.

I've never understood how an overhead kick at head height can be allowed but lift your foot higher than waist level it's a foul!!!!!!!

Click to rate     Rating   20

bahah! DOBOy45, shut up! u idiot! Rooneys overhead kick, was a shin! in the box aswell... good goal, but please dont even put it in the same sentence! ZLATAN! can do special things, if rooney tried that.. 100% out for a throwing , 100% Rooney does nothing, when was the last time he done something magical? Tap ins all his career. and Zlatan has scored so many crazy goals, so dont give me let him do it again 10 times.. you carry on watching your english football. Open your mind mate and watch some other european football. google Zlatans goals for JUVE, AC Milan and Inter.. they are unstoppable

Click to rate     Rating   11

granted, i saw this goal. after reading about it, but I really can't class this as the greatest goal, it is like comparing the Harlem Globetrotters to Michael Jordan. I think that Stan Collymore got it right when he called it "The most INSANE goal ever" on a par with Rene Higuita's Scorpion save at Wembley,

Click to rate     Rating   9

The artist 5th illustration is absolutely wrong. The the 6th illustration is much more the way the ball was kicked... with a twist on impact which made him land the way he did.The ball was not kicked vertically backward as illistrated Mr Illustrator. And those of you daring if he could do it 10 times more, it would interest you to know that in this game of soccer there are things you do on the field of play that cannot be replicated. These are things you do on the spur of the moment, it either works for you or it doesnt. The game dictates your reaction. You could be surprised in another game he could do it much better or much worse. Please give a brother a slack...give him commendation. Atleast he is a better player than Rooney, that you can be sure of if you know how to spot talent. And true this isnt Ibra;s best goal.

Click to rate     Rating   6

It has taken the British press at least 15 years to figure out what many that watch football (contrary to popular belief there is quality football outside our shores) knew already. In fact I would put Zlatan less entertainng today as he has had to conform to Italian control thus containing his natural talent towards flair,showmanship (he was so disliked in Sweden by the press for being to individualistic) and doing the unexpected since his days in Malmo. He is now in his better position of getting the ball earlier so attacking the defenders with the ball at his feet. This is why he did not work at Barcelona (also a diva), they have Messi for this and Zlatan didnīt want to be a winger (like Henry) or the target man. A great player that unfortunatly knows it.

Click to rate     Rating   10

You English want some lemons or are you bitter enough already...? On a positive note, lovely to see some classic Trevillion, takes me back to the days when football was about the game and which club was the best over the course of the season not which club can buy their success and/or pressure the referees to keep them on top for 20 years.

Click to rate     Rating   1

If there was a keeper in the goal it wouldnt have gone in BUT 10/10 for being ambitious n trying the bicycle kick n getting it right.If it was another player he would have just attempted to lob the ball over the players but not Zlatan lol

Click to rate     Rating   (0)

trevor sinclair qpr 1997

Click to rate     Rating   11

Lucky, a good goalkeeper would have been in the goal.

Click to rate     Rating   7

Let him do i again 10 times, and then depending on how many more go in, might consider him one of the top 10, but it was one goal when there was an empty net with Hart out of his box and it was against a weak team. Can't compare this goal feat against those greats in world cups and competitive matches. I mean are we seriously saying that he is better than Brazilian Ronaldo was as a striker for example?

Click to rate     Rating   39

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

You have 1000 characters left.
Libellous and abusive comments are not allowed. Please read our House Rules.
For information about privacy and cookies please read our Privacy Policy.
Terms