Zlatan Ibrahimovic's absurd MLS debut deserves a deep rewind

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Zlatan is a special character in sports. He speaks in the third person, he's more arrogant than Gaston, and he seems to really hate wearing shirts. However, he somehow backs it all up and then some with his otherworldly performance. Zlatan seemed like a natural fit with the city of Los Angeles.
Interestingly enough, he came to LA just after a brand new franchise also came to LA. When Zlatan joined the Galaxy, his debut came against their brand new, intra-city rival, LAFC. This is the story of worlds colliding. Zlatan and the MLS. Galaxy and FC. Jaw and floor. Let's rewind.
Written and produced by Will Buikema
Edited by Brian Torres
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[@MrCaptainDoctor]

I have a million favorite Zlatan stories, but my favorite from his time at LA was when Lebron James sent him a Lakers jersey as a gift and Zlatan signed it and sent it back to him.

[@GIBBO4182]

He said if he’d have given it to him personally he would’ve accepted it graciously, but because he just sent it to him through his people he thought he was being disrespectful 🤣🤣 Peak Zlatan

[@Johno1992]

There's a few that standout for me. Zlatan telling wenger he doesn't do interviews. Him beating the living daylights out of van der varrt at ajax. And carlos vela caught loads of strays too 😂😂

[@shawn1819]

​@@GIBBO4182lmao

[@eternal_ego]

​@@GIBBO4182 fr? LMAO that is hilarious 😂

[@GIBBO4182]

@@eternal_ego yeah, I saw him say it in an interview!

[@garishgarchomp]

My favorite Zlatan story, taken from an article in The Athletic: The day after this match, Schmid gathered his team for a post-game tape session. While going through the film, the veteran MLS coach asked his charges if they had any observations. “Zlatan spoke up and said something along the lines of: ‘In games like these we need to have more bite, we need to be nastier. Like Kevin,’” says defensive midfielder Perry Kitchen. “And he pointed to me, over in my direction. I was like, looking around, to my left, to my right, making sure there wasn’t a Kevin on the team. I said, ‘Are you pointing to me? My name is Perry. It’s right above my locker.’” “Yes,” replied Ibrahimovic. “You are Kevin.” “The guy was so confident that he stood there and just tried to tell me I didn’t know my own name, man.” He called Perry ‘Kevin’ every day for the next year and a half.

[@shawn1819]

🤣🤣🤣

[@u.sbanban]

Zlatan isnt delusional 😭😭 delusion is Zlatan

[@aidanduffy3407]

I'm guessing zlatan is a Kevin and Perry fan they are lil known in USA alo I'm guessing you should KZbin them well funny sketches 😂😂

[@captainsmoke1612]

Kevin should shut up and listen.

[@99dndd]

It must have been very embarrassing for Kevin’s parents to have been calling him by the wrong name all his life.

[@YeTism]

You mean MLS’s Zlatan debut

[@KrispigKarp]

One day Zlatan did a test in a lie detector machine. The machine confessed everything.

[@brianmcgill9662]

christ people are still telling these jokes in 2024

[@GoatedBukTV]

@@brianmcgill9662you must be fun at parties

[@brianmcgill9662]

@@GoatedBukTV bro that joke stopped being funny in like 017.

[@KrispigKarp]

@@brianmcgill9662 Zlatan is eternal

[@Porthos240]

​​@@brianmcgill9662Zlatan just made you angry since 2017.

[@JustcallmeJayrot]

"El Traffico" is an incredible name for an LA rivalry game I've never heard before.

[@aydenbrudnakvoss4535]

MLS has the best rivalry names. Where else are you gonna hear "Hell is Real" or"The Derbecue"

[@xwarped83]

@@aydenbrudnakvoss4535nowhere else because they aren’t good names.

[@Donutinator24]

Another euro mad we love to see it​@@xwarped83

[@hewhoamareismyself]

@@xwarped83 IDK the story behind Hell is Real is at least fun, a lot of them feel like they're a joke someone made on reddit that the league took and ran with for a decade though.

[@ianism3]

@@xwarped83 oh they're good, they're just also dumb. these things aren't mutually exclusive in my opinion lol

[@kicking222]

You could spend a long time arguing where Zlatan ranks among the BEST players ever, but he is inarguably one of the MOST FUN players ever.

[@camillaquelladegliaggettiv4303]

Give a moment to an idiot who knows exactly 0 about soccer Is he like, the Allen Iverson of soccer?

[@ralfwk163]

Him and Ronaldinho, oh man

[@shatzofhudson]

Watched this game live, his first goal was absolutely absurd lol

[@BigBoyJay_69]

LA Galaxy didn't sign Zlatan, Zlatan signed LA Galaxy.

[@TheHockeyjock10]

“Congratulations, you will win now.” - Zlatan probably

[@roninwbijtube]

​@@TheHockeyjock10Probably multiple times, too

[@Scrimshaw_DuBois42]

Zlatan has so much confidence that he's almost like a cartoon character. Talks in the third person, thinks he's the greatest ever, and usually backed it up in sensational fashion. I can't even imagine how he'll be as a manager or in the front office, except that it'll be very entertaining.

[@Rossoneri2]

Probably will end up getting fired for not holding back on the owners

[@josephtambun3767]

Well he's now part of AC Milan front office....

[@mityaoreh]

ted lasso's arc about "zlatan" pictured it unbeliveably good

[@sjoaker1]

@@Rossoneri2 That's easily solved by owning the team 🤣 Jokes aside, he does own a Swedish team

[@larsrikardsen4964]

His first goal was such a banger tho

[@Tomwithnonumbers]

"Bradley was the only coach to manage a premier league squad" ... let's not talk about how that went

[@TatoGrasa]

It was Swansea City. Coach was the least of their problems.

[@TurboThunda]

​@@TatoGrasa yeah fr they were doomed that season even if they had pep coaching them lol

[@EinTeufelskreis]

I first encountered Zlatan at Euros 2004, when I was 12 years old and he hit Italy with a backheel goal from midair which send them home. He is by far the most fascinating soccer player I've ever seen during my lifetime.

[@CascadianRanger]

It's wild that Chivas USA folded 10 years ago. The league is so wildly different now than it was back then, the idea of club like Chivas existing now is basically unthinkable.

[@457max]

Every new team since Chivas USA folded are Chivas. Minnesota Chivas. Atlanta Chivas. San Diego Chivas. It's all one team I think.

[@fantasyEXX]

They never folded, they just rebranded. We call them LA Former Chivas for a reason (They still smell like them)

[@lilapple1217]

Chivas usa also trademarked los angeles sc amd los angelesfc before they announced the rebrand of that year in 2014 @@fantasyEXX

[@ErnestGoesToMadeas]

They still exist today. They got new owners and rebranded to LAFC 😂

[@GigglyWalrus]

more soccer please. I'd recommend Petr Cech's save on Arjen Robben in the 2012 CL Final and Kelvin's last second winner against Benfica (2013 Portuguese League) to win the league, or Watford vs Leicester playoff as a few of many

[@DACatface]

Champions league Man united Vs Bayern 99 Feels like a huge one

[@Johno1992]

First off its football not soccer. And 2 we need more football ones. Man citys title win in 2012 or helicopter Sunday would both be good videos. Prefer helicopter Sunday tho being a rangers fan 😂

[@Khronogi]

​@@Johno1992it's soccer. Google it

[@batti591]

They've already done the 2012 CL Final

[@tayoakingold104]

They have a video on the 2012 champions League final already. Go through the football playlist.

[@justinhendricks4661]

Please do more football content🙏🏾 there’s literally so many videos concepts that can be made from Rewinds; Collapses and Beef Histories

[@jasoncavari]

Agreed!!

[@CascadianRanger]

I would love for them to do when of there big series on this history of soccer in America. It is a fascinating and often underspoken story. MLS alone could take a good 2 hour video to cover everything over its near 30 year history

[@andrewnorton8691]

You only have to look around European football leagues for endless collapses. Largely due to financial overreaching or corrupt board members. I'd like a Leeds United one.

[@jasoncavari]

@@justinhendricks4661 the 2002 Scudetto race in Italy would make a perfect rewinder… that final match day was amazing

[@phlegmkessel4841]

Still waiting on a TFC/Montreal 2016 video

[@GarkKahn]

Clickbait title It wasn't zlatan's mls debut It was mls' zlatan debut

[@leftnoname]

Zlatan’s rehab assignment in LA went so well, that he was able to help AC Milan to a championship and finally retire from professional football due to accumulated injuries.

[@jonwhalen643]

I clicked this quick. Can’t beat a secret base and Ibra combo.

[@00Siebes]

I remember watching this game live on TV and just screaming by Zlatans goal

[@Juhimuz]

Champions League final of 99, Munich vs United should have a rewind, absolute mad ending and without spoiling further importance, one team really wanted that win.

[@NeoCherrn]

There were so many moments that year that would be fit for a rewind. Roy Keane running Juventus into the ground in the semi-final. The semi-final of the FA Cup between Manchester United and Arsenal. It was a great year for football.

[@stevendchu]

I'd prefer Collapse: how Manchester United went from the greatest dynasty under Fergie to the current mess that they are now (just got embarrassed 3-0 by Liverpool today)

[@giorgioelgar2272]

I love the way Ibra scores, he’s just absurd, that first goal :O

[@andrew_h7601]

The timing of this (excellent) piece is pretty great. Another legend of the European game, Marco Reus, just debuted for the Galaxy last Saturday. In just 28 minutes he assisted a Riqui Puig golazo and scored one of his own to give the Galaxy a 2-0 win over an Atlanta United side who had been defending staunchly. Thanks to Reus the Galaxy are in 1st place of the Western Conference with just 7 regular season games to go. Worth remembering that in 2023 the Galaxy had a historically bad year, finishing 13th. General Manager Will Kuntz has revived that Galaxy and Reus is already having a Zlatan-like impact. Can’t wait for whats coming

[@fickdich973]

Marco Reus a legend 😂 of what? A legend of not winning anything and being injured all the time?

[@RobertRhein-b6f]

5:30 “As of 2018 [Bob Bradley] is the only American to coach a Premier League club” Although born in Germany and extremely German, David Wagner has 8 caps for the USMNT and coached Huddersfield in the Prem in the 2017/18 season

[@daringgabeable]

finally!!! ive been asking for this for YEARS! thank you!!

[@Sugarist0]

Zlatan doesn’t need a deep rewind, deep rewind needs Zlatan

[@serisothikos]

It's always amazing when you see an artist at work in a sporting event. That equalizer, Pedro snapping off a curve... I just think it's neat.

[@itsa11good23]

This is my favorite moment in MLS history. I remember watching this game and losing my mind

[@fantasyEXX]

Diehard LA Galaxy fan long before Beckham ever arrived. I was at the Beckham press conference seen in this video. I've seen this team play hundreds of games in multiple countries and this game takes the cake as most memorable. What Zlatan did that day is still incredible. That man not only lived up to the hype but then some. I just wish he had a better team around him. If you put Zlatan on today's LA Galaxy they'd have a chance for being the best team in league history

[@DaneeBound]

9:05 "that was his fourth goal of the match". As if England needed any more salt in the wound that day, having blown a 1:2 lead… TO A HATTRICK.

[@DaneeBound]

Yes, this was a friendly, so there were zero stakes. But even so.

[@galapagooose]

@@DaneeBound I agree! However it was the inaugural game of the new swedish national arena, so there was still some historic value to the story :)

[@LeonelEBD]

One of the main reasons to prove Zlatan is an all time great is how well he played thorough his career in different leagues.

[@kyleaguirre10]

My dad was there that day, he always tell the story and I always love to hear it

[@Cicero82]

To the narrator, it’s not “FC”, it’s “LAFC”. It’s like ‘A Tribe Called Quest’, you say the whole thing.

[@anne8180]

Me clapping at the Mr. Alex Morgan mention. I will never forget your contribution Servando!!! 😂

[@DACatface]

That first ibra goal is incredible!

[@HoPeFuLCheWBaCCa]

ZAVA!!!! IYKYK. Zlaten is one of my favorite athletes to watch not just footballers.

[@Khronogi]

I was like "is that the guy from Ted lasso?"

[@mannygonzalez4178]

That was some terrible ass defense. Pushing up that high with a 3 and 2 goal lead.

[@KhalidKashogi]

Roberto Baggio's 1994 World Cup Final penalty kick needs a deep, deep rewind.

[@fantasyEXX]

I believe they did one before

[@redtailpunk]

lucky enough to be at that match. its a 1 in a million chance i see anything even half as special as that again

[@滋榎本]

Zlatan Ibrahimović joined American club LA Galaxy in 2018 and rejoined Milan in 2020, winning his fifth Serie A title in 2022. Zlatan was the greatest player to ever grace MLS. Apologies to David Beckham and Robbie Keane and Sebastian Giovinco and David Villa and Thierry Henry... But nobody made it a show like Zlatan. He did conquer MLS. Only his team's defense sucked.

[@PeterBoye-vr3oy]

Messi?

[@xwarped83]

@@PeterBoye-vr3oyis he even playing?

[@amrelarcher8990]

⁠the way the original post said it it’s like saying Ibrahimovic is the greatest player ever who played in the MLS instead of the greatest MLS player. If it’s the former claim, that’s not true coz Messi and Pele played in the NASL. Both are better players than Zlatan. Heck I’ll argue that Henry and Villa had better careers than Zlatan. He is a better player than Beckham, but commercially he isn’t as strong as Beckham was. If Zlatan came directly to MLS after PSG and stayed, he would’ve left a bigger mark on the league.

[@ValeriaZaragoza692]

LAFC fan here, but I have to admit Ibrahmiovich was on another level in this game. Carson got lucky.

[@CreightonMiller]

Really surprised you rushed through the first goal, especially the call on the broadcast; I think it's way more iconic than the final goal.

[@muhammedmustafasanl5197]

your format of storytelling is amazing with the call and cutbacks and stuff

[@Donutsgolf]

Zlatan's first goal deserved a rewinder all by itself, absolutely ridiculous finish

[@duckhoward]

You missed the best Zlatan story. When he arrived to LA LeBron James sent him one of his jerseys as a welcome gift. Ibrahimovic signed it and sent it back.

[@Meechree]

The timing of this is so strange, I was literally just researching Zlatan's career a couple of days ago! Thanks for the awesome vid!

[@jacksonsparrow1862]

Been waiting for someone good to cover this!

[@SpaceCore13]

I was at this game. Bought tickets before we knew about signing Zlatan. Crazy we went down 3-0. I couldnt believe he did what he did.

[@austincosman2907]

“There’s only one Zlatan” - Zlatan

[@schteb9876]

Secret Base covering MLS let’s gooooo

[@EastDistrictWill]

I Remember this day. Last weekend Marco Reus Galaxy debut was a thing of beauty also

[@LiftandCoa]

"You're welcome"

[@ronaldg9238]

I still cant believe I was there live at that game. I'm a hardcore Galaxy fan and got so many hate texts when we were down. My only response was "the game aint over, text me when its over" I was so drunk and the only one cheering for the Galaxy even when they were down, then the comeback happened and everyone started cheering with me. It will be a day I never forget.

[@MrNSTR3910]

Calling David Beckham England’s version of Landon Donovan has got to be the wildest comment I’ve ever heard an American say about football. And that is saying something 🤣

[@brandon-yu]

Was hoping this would be a Beef History…so many spicy quotes between Vela and Zlatan!

[@fantasyEXX]

The second match later this season was the one that needs a Beef History. Zlatan scored an out of this world goal and ran straight over to Bob Bradley to mock him

[@StewartUSAF]

Bill Mazeroski’s home run to win the 1960 World Series needs a deep rewind. Also, Leicester City winning the Prem, the 100 yard interception return by James Harrison, and the Men’s 400 Hurdles from the Tokyo Olympics.

[@502tamales5]

One of my biggest flexes is to say I was at that game and watched it all go down. The atmosphere was ELECTRIC.

[@hdot89]

Zlatan with the greatest debut performance in North American Soccer more than worthy of a Rewind!

[@drtydozn]

This was awesome. Greatest game I have ever seen with my own eyes

[@83ayodele]

Finally. Was wondering when y’all were gonna do this one.

[@brandongonzalez1732]

Man, seeing that 02 squad in the first minute of the video brings back so many great memories for me. 🥲

[@mikexstad1121]

One of the most epic 45min of football ive ever seen.

[@helixmotorsports7892]

This is an unusually well made video. Congrats.

[@TheDuckofLaw]

Thanks for the videos! I'm a Zlatan fan - even had two jerseys.

[@smokeycaptain]

Thank you for doing this video.

[@babyforestwhitaker7114]

I don’t even like soccer but I love secret base. Great video

[@DeadCanuck]

Cool that SB is doing more soccer stuff! I love when they cover a variety of sports

[@TheMILVSCR]

I've coached, played, and been a fan of soccer most of my life... and I haven't seen a player come into any league with an introduction like this in the entirety of my love for the game. He went straight alpha male from the start.

[@dylanbandi6631]

I dont even like soccer But I saw Zlatan & clicked so quick Mans a legend

[@deadendcommunity1009]

Honestly one of futbol's goats and I'm a hockey fan

[@andreiferariu]

It's not called "futbal" sameway it's not called "хоккей", he's not even close to being a goat in any category.

[@deadendcommunity1009]

@@andreiferariu cry ruski

[@kristaps5296]

Do you also follow baloncesto?

[@andreiferariu]

@@deadendcommunity1009 I'm not Russian, you have the reading comprehension of a toddler. Calling it futbal makes 0 sense. You're a dumbass

[@joshuabrown2134]

If you watched it live yk... It was like watching an iconic moment in history..

[@maza19]

As a European, I can't understand the thing that a club that was just founded plays in the top division, and somehow has fans. USA has so many big cities that with a proper league system they could have many clubs with big crowds and their own history

[@aydenbrudnakvoss4535]

LAFC isn't a great example because it was basically just a remodeling of Chivas USA. Think AFC Wimbledon after MK Dons, just without nearly as much drama.

[@KalenAlmeida]

@@aydenbrudnakvoss4535 yeah but outside of that having the first professional team of this sport in your city is something a lot of people love to jump on. Having 100+ years of history is ofc great, but being able to create that history and traditions that your grandkids will chant is also amazing

[@kreuzschmerz36]

Depends on where you live in Europe…Germany has VFL Wolfsburg and Bayer Leverkusen,which are basically stomped out of the ground by VW‘s and Bayer‘s money. Younger examples are TSG Hoffenheim (a small village Club bought by the SAP owner) and R(ed)B(ull) Leipzig,which are all in the Bundesliga and have less attendance than some 3rd division clubs with decades of tradition! In other leagues those big Investors (mainly Saudi/Russian) buy big clubs with infrastructure…in both cases the fans lose!

[@maza19]

@@kreuzschmerz36 Leverkusen was founded by workers decades before football went professional. For Wolfsburg I'm not sure. But anyway Germany still has a league system that any team can win promotion to the top division, and the DFB Pokal has amateurs taking on the big boys. That's a healthy football system for me. Of course in the end the billionairs win, but everyone has a chance on winning on the pitch

[@eurybot4659]

It's official: the bots in the comments can't get enough of Zlatan

[@KB-313]

stupid sexy zlatan

[@CumpasFilms]

In case it hasn't been mentioned, Zlatan is the inspiration for Zava on Ted Lasso.

[@kidbrown2010]

He was late 30s and he was more physical than players in their 20s. This guy was just built different.

[@HarZoiD]

One of the best MLS games of all times

[@Verynormalhumanmanperson]

For more excellent US soccer, I’d cover the insane Seattle Sounders roster that won CCL. In the home leg of the finals, both JP and Nouhou go down hurt in the first half. Two of the most important defensive players on the roster (Nouhou goes to AFCON and shuts down guys like Salah, he just doesn’t have the feet to play top European football). Who do we bring in? We bring in Kellyn Rowe and Obed Vargas and we win 3-0, 5-2 on aggregate. A good moment worth a shout in terms of how things turned around is the incredible reaction save from Frei on a free header that would get called back for offsides, also in the first half. That moment helped get the crowd back into it, and it would be all Seattle from there. Rowe had to literally get on his knees and beg the club to sign him. In his thirties, he knew he had one last spell at the top of his game and wanted to play for his hometown team and win something. Between injuries and outperforming all expectations, he played in almost every available game for a two year stretch. He’s on the vet minimum contract, much like another hometown hero in Freddy Montero, who was our leading scorer in CCL that year at the age of what I’m pretty sure was 34. Obed Vargas was 16 when we subbed him on. In front of a monster home crowd, playing for the biggest trophy in MLS history. When it all went to hell and it looked like we’d lose to roster depth (like RSL so many years before us), the sounders were that crucial step deeper than the average mls roster. They treated people right, leading to guys like Freddy and Kellyn coming back to play with them. And their youth setup has been incredible. Those guys were just a tiny fraction of the wage spend. The other thread of the story is that Garth Lagerway, our then GM, had lost a ccl final with RSL and later moved to Seattle to try and win the thing. It was the white whale for him, and he’s by far the best roster wizard in MLS. We’re still to this day enjoying the foundation he built for us (even if the last few years of the Rui contract have been painful. Still worth it to win CCL though.)

[@curlyray33]

Zlatan was the first and only confirmed case of an anime character being reverse isekai-ed into the real world.

[@FrancesSagpio]

Please do more football videos SB a video on the cr7 and messi rivalry would feed families

[@victormendoza8486]

Best debut in MLS. The crowd was wild when he scored his first goal.

[@ericpaz9546]

Everytime I hear welcome to a moment in history, goosebumps

[@hotsauce0097]

This was frickin hypeeee

[@czaleo100fuegos]

The greatest moment in USA soccer history . The FLAGSHIP franchise defeated the fake upstart usurpers and gentrifiers . LA GALAXY ALL DAY EVERYDAY AND TWICE ON SUNDAYS BABY !!

[@MrLittleJa]

Watching that live was crazy 😮

[@Michael.V.Picchi]

0:57 is team photo of the SJ Clash (now SJ Earthquakes)… the Galaxys oldest rival 😂

[@danielrhine24]

I came for this comment about the SJ pic 💯

[@ofardo8046]

Love this, need more soccer on secret base!!!!

[@markjackson6431]

Rewinder: 2006 Orange Bowl 3OTs Beef History: Lindros vs Flyers Organization Overlap: Greatest College Football Coach (Saban) and the Greatest NFL Coach (Belichick) coaching in the same division Beef History: Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas Beef History: Phil Jackson and Pat Riley Untitled: Reggie Miller Untitled: Ken Griffey Jr. Untitled: Carl Yastrzemski Untitled: Ted Williams Untitled: Jim Kelly Collapse: Early 90s Bills Collapse: 2001 Sixers Rewinder: 2012 Olympic 100m Men’s Final Rewinder: The Catch By Willie Rewinder: Wide Right I, Wide Right II Rewinder: Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds breaking the respective HR record(s) Untitled: Don Nelson

[@M_11_m41n]

As a Houston Dynamo fan, I would rather not talk about 2011 or 2012..... Those two years are dead to me for a good reason....

[@BallinLikeMike23]

There’s only one Zlatan

[@jaredchacon2645]

Man this game was incredible

[@stoozdee]

My intensity stays ignited.

[@youenjoy8468]

I remember watching this live with my Dad. We were freaking out lol

[@marssporttv]

Love to see football content here

[@xsa442]

for me the rewind is realizing how many star euro players used to play in mls

[@TheHuskyK9]

I remember that day like yesterday. I was working concessions at Dignity Health Sports Park (formerly named StubHub Center at the time) and serving hot dogs while the Zlatan takeover was happening. Dude was and still is too cocky for me, but I couldn't deny that he was one of the world's best for a reason.

[@jasoncavari]

Some people can rub 2 sticks together to make a fire… Zlatan rubs fire together and makes sticks

[@asvpfern]

Zlatan talking in third person is so Zlatan

[@IAMGREATN3SS27]

I work at the stadium til this day and til this day this was the loudest event I’ve worked

[@Alex-uc3ye]

As an American and soccer fan, I had no idea people cared this much about MLS.

[@griffinhays2053]

I always knew the Ted Lasso writers largely based Zava off Zlatan but damn they are the same person

[@jigglypuff2562]

Zlatan is a unicorn, what a comment