Ashley Cole and Zlatan Ibrahimovic coincided at LA Galaxy and the retired left-back didn’t hesitate to reveal an awkward anecdote involving the AC Milan striker during their time at the MLS side.
The former England international stressed that there were moments when Ibrahimovic would tell his teammates off for their contribution on the pitch.
“[Zlatan] has two personalities. With us in the dressing room he was brilliant, quiet, very humble, but for the media he was God,” Cole said in an interview with Romesh Ranganathan.
“He had moments where he would come in the dressing room and really let people know about their ‘s*** touch, can’t run, you’re slow’, but in front of the media his persona changed.”
When asked if he had personally had issues with Ibrahimovic, Cole recalled a day were there was tension between the two players.
“He tried to [confront me] once, he did throw his hands in the air,” remembered Cole.
“And I said, ‘Put your f***ing hands down’.
I’m deadly serious, honestly. I was thinking ‘you might have a little point, but don’t put your hands up.'”
Ibrahimovic, who is still an important player for AC Milan despite being 39 years old, scored more than 50 goals in the two years he spent in MLS between 2018 and 2020.
