Saturday, April 30, 2022 at 11:01 am• Rian Rosendaal • Last update: 11:02

According to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, there has never been a better player in Major League Soccer than himself. The forty-year-old striker played two seasons in America with Los Angeles Galaxy, where he almost went one-on-one with 53 goals in 58 games. According to the Swede, there is therefore no doubt about who is the best player ever to have played in the American league. “I”, said Ibrahimovic to ESPN†

Ibrahimovic traded Manchester United in March 2018 for an adventure in the MLS. At LA Galaxy, the striker failed to win trophies and the attacker finished second on the top scorers list in both seasons, but according to Ibrahimovic there is no doubt who the best player has ever been in the United States. “I’ve been the best player ever in MLS. I don’t mean that arrogantly. That’s just the truth,” said the ex-player of Barcelona and AC Milan, among others. “I am very grateful to the MLS that I could feel alive again there. But the problem was that I was still too alive. I was too good for the whole competition. That’s what I showed.”

However, the attacker does not regret his time at the club from Los Angeles. “For me, the MLS was the ideal competition to start playing again after my injury. I felt better than ever,” the striker is enthusiastic about the American competition. The eccentric striker suffered a serious knee injury at his former club Manchester United in April 2017 in the Europa League match against Anderlecht. José Mourinho, then coach of the English superpower, had serious doubts after that game about the possible return of the all-time top scorer of the national team of Sweden. “That will be very, very difficult,” said the Portuguese. The striker made his comeback for the English club the following season, but only played five times, after which he signed a contract with LA Galaxy.

According to Ibrahimovic, it was mainly thanks to him that the matches in the MLS were well attended. “I was told that the stadiums were often quite empty, but I have never seen an empty stadium myself. When I played, there was even too much demand for tickets.” In September 2019, Ibrahimovic also declared that he was the best player to ever play in MLS, although he was a little more cautious at the time. “I think in the two years I’ve been here I’ve done good things, incredible things and perfect things. I think I’m the best player to ever play in MLS. And I’m not kidding,” Ibrahimovic said after the game against Sporting Kansas City. The striker then scored a hat-trick in his former club’s 7-2 win.