Zlatan Ibrahimovic lays into critics after leading Manchester United to EFL Cup, saying he knew he would bring trophies to Old Trafford
Ibrahimovic says 'to many people I could not do it' and claims winning trophies gets better with age
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EMOTIONAL Zlatan Ibrahimovic says he has proved his doubters wrong and promised there is more to come.
The 35-year-old super Swede scored twice for Manchester United, including a late winner in a thrilling EFL Cup final at Wembley.
Ibra said: “This is what I predicted. Everything I thought would happen has.
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“The others didn’t see it. Apparently, to many, I could not do it. I keep doing what I am doing every year.
“I’m enjoying the game — the only thing is that I am enjoying it here in England now.”
The free transfer has now hit 20 goals in his last 22 appearances and 26 in all this season as he picked up the 32nd piece of silverware in his incredible career.
Ibra said: “Special? What could be more special than this trophy?”
Pushed further, the former Paris Saint-Germain striker said: “I came. That’s special.
“This is what I came for — I came to win and I am winning. I just have to keep going but the more I win the more satisfied I get.
“You appreciate it more the older you get.
“In the beginning it is more like fun, you don’t realise what a trophy means.
“The older I get, the more mature I get, the more I am surrounded by a winning mentality. It is all about winning, all about winning those trophies.
“This is what I am doing. I think this is trophy No 32 for me. Wherever I have gone I have won.
“It was immense — it was very immense. We were winning two-zero, they came back to 2-2 and we looked a bit tired in the second half but I got the opportunity and I scored it.”
Asked about Mourinho becoming the first United manager to win a trophy in his maiden season at the helm, Ibra added: “He is a winner.
“When you get Jose you know what you get. If you want to win, you get Jose and that is the way it works. The club knew what they were doing when they brought him in, it is nothing new.
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“It is something that keeps going and following him, I’m super happy for him.”
Ibra is still to decide whether to take up the option of a second year of his contract to stay on until next season.
Mourinho has an idea how to keep him in Manchester.
He said: “If it is needed Manchester United fans can go to the door of his house and stay there all night.
“If needed they will go for sure. We all want and we all believe he will stay with us one more season.”
Speaking of Ibra’s man-of-the-match performance, Mourinho added: “He won the game for us because he was outstanding. I can see a couple of performances, for example Pogba was a similar level, but Ibra was outstanding.”
Saints boss Claude Puel said: “There is disappointment because we played a good game.
“They were too clinical but I’m proud of my players because we played very well with many chances.
“We were two behind and came back with quality.
“We were the underdogs and it is a good thing to say it was possible to win. We always stayed in the game.
“Perhaps we deserved better but it’s football and congratulations to Manchester United, Mourinho and his players.”