As featured on NewsNow: Football news

Man Utd boss Mourinho: The real Ibrahimovic is not the same as the image he sells

Jose Mourinho has shone the spotlight on Zlatan Ibrahimovic's early impact at Manchester United.

The Swedish superstar has already created quite a stir since arriving at Old Trafford, scoring a dramatic late winner to help the Red Devils clinch the Community Shield at Wembley on Sunday.

Ibrahimovic came to United having already won a plethora of team and individual awards over a glittering career, bringing with him to England an aura of arrogance and self-importance.

But Mourinho has played down that portrait by starting that the former PSG, Barcelona and AC Milan star is a quality person as well as an elite footballer.

"I think probably the other players are surprised," he told BT Sport.

"Not me because I know him. But probably the other players are surprised. Not with his quality, because the quality everybody knows.

"Probably a bit with his commitment and motivation because we are speaking about a 34-year-old man that won so much in his career, but probably even more surprised with the person. He is a good guy. What he looks like, it is not what he is.

"The words he says, he says for fun. He is the guy capable to go to the kitman and say 'please give a towel to God' and then laugh, laugh, laugh, laugh and laugh.

"The image he sells is not him, he is a good guy."

Video of the day:

Andrew Slevison
About the author

Andrew Slevison

×

Subscribe and go ad-free

For only $10 a year

  1. Go Ad-Free
  2. Faster site experience
  3. Support great writing
  4. Subscribe now
Launch Offer: 2 months free
×

Subscribe and go ad-free

For only $10 a year

Subscribe now
Launch Offer: 2 months free