Zlatan Ibrahimovic pays tribute to Manchester United teenager Anthony Elanga in the middle of a potential Sweden debut
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has paid tribute to Manchester United striker Anthony Elanga as Sweden prepares for its semi-final in the World Cup final against the Czech Republic on Thursday.
The 40-year-old striker remembered that he played with the United midfielder’s father Joseph for Malmö FF over 20 years ago and he now shares the Swedish locker room with his son.
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“The first time I met him we were at the restaurant in [United] the training ground and he came up to me and he said “you know my dad” and I thought, help me now because I do not know who I am talking to, says Ibrahimovic.
“‘You played with my dad Elanga’, and then everything clicked and I said ‘OK’, and that made me happy because I was not the only Swede in Manchester, we had another Swedish player.”
Ibrahimovic, who scored 17 goals in 33 Premier League matches during an injured period at United from 2016 to 2018, even left Elanga, 19, at the center of the podium between himself and Sweden’s press manager.
“We are all happy and we are enjoying the adventure he is on, he has just started and he is on his way up so that is good. You will have something to look at for another 20 years”, Ibra added with a smile.
Elanga, who has caught the eye with his performances for United this season, said that Ibrahimovic has been an inspiration.
“You can see over the last 20 years what he has done for the national team, and of course at club football level you can see how he scores his goals. Even when I was young I used to look up to him, because I was from Sweden,” said Elanga.
“When I found out he was signing for United, I could not wait to talk to him, ask him about the memories he had with my father. It means a lot, you know, to be able to see him every day, one day here. “Train with him – it’s an honor.”
Sweden will host the Czech Republic in their semi-final in the World Cup finals at Friends Arena in Stockholm, a match that Ibrahimovic will miss due to suspension.
The winners will face Poland next week for a place in the World Cup finals in Qatar, which starts in November.