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Zlatan Ibrahimovic InterGetty
Chris Burton

‘Speaks his mind’ – Why Zlatan Ibrahimovic was denied Ballon d’Or win as former team-mate Sulley Muntari insists Swedish striker was not ‘intimidating’ to play with

Z. Ibrahimovic
AC Milan
Serie A
Inter
Paris Saint-Germain
Juventus
Manchester United

Zlatan Ibrahimovic never won the Ballon d’Or because he “speaks his mind” and was not “intimidating” to play with, says ex-team-mate Sulley Muntari.

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✅ Includes multiple live Premier League matches, Premiership Rugby, and MotoGP in the same linear and streaming package.

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BBC

✅ Broadcasts 38 live Serie A matches throughout the season, making top-flight Italian football accessible without a pay-TV subscription.

✅ Streams seamlessly across all smart TVs, consoles, and mobile devices via the ubiquitous BBC iPlayer.

✅ In partnership with BBC ALBA, offers alternative language broadcasts for a localized Scottish viewing experience.

Monthly fromFREE
Total Coverage
DAZN logo 2019

DAZN

✅ Serves as the primary home of Italian football in the UK, streaming all 380 Serie A fixtures live and on-demand.

✅ Provides extensive Serie A shoulder programming, match highlights, and dedicated analysis.

✅ Bundles the Italian top flight alongside other global properties like the Saudi Pro League, premium boxing, and the UEFA Women's Champions League.

Monthly from£15.99
Premium Bundle
HBO Max

TNT Sports (HBO Max)

✅ Broadcasts up to two live Serie A fixtures each week, heavily focusing on the biggest clubs and highest-profile Sunday evening games.

✅ Packages Italian domestic football alongside complete, exclusive coverage of the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League.

✅ Includes multiple live Premier League matches, Premiership Rugby, and MotoGP in the same linear and streaming package.

Monthly from£25.99

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

  • One of the greatest strikers of his generation
  • Never finished higher than fourth in Ballon d'Or vote
  • Earned respect of those he played alongside
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  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    Former Ghana international Muntari spent time working with enigmatic Swedish striker Ibrahimovic at Inter and AC Milan. The outspoken frontman is famed for his sharp tongue and demanding attitude, but that was never considered to be an issue for his club colleagues.

  • Zlatan Ibrahimovic Sully Muntari AC MilanGetty

    WHAT SULLEY MUNTARI SAID

    Muntari, who also spent time in the Premier League at Portsmouth during his playing days, has told Flashscore when asked about self-proclaimed football “god” Zlatan: “As a team-mate Ibrahimovic wasn’t intimidating at all. He just wants the best out of you. He won games easily for whichever team I played. I managed to play with him during his early years in Inter during his first season then we met at Milan.”

  • THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Muntari added on why one of the greatest strikers of his generation, who won countless trophies in major divisions across Europe, was denied a Golden Ball and title of best player on the planet: “Ibrahimovic is the top player, he's one of the best during his time. They didn't want to give him the Ballon d’Or because he speaks his mind. Sometimes they don't like to hear that but Ibrahimovic is massive. My best strikers of all time are [Samuel] Eto'o, Ibrahimovic and [Thierry] Henry.”

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  • Zlatan IbrahimovicGetty

    DID YOU KNOW?

    Ibrahimovic retired in 2023, having played into his 40s, and is now an advisor to AC Milan’s ownership team. He is expected to thrive in that role, with Muntari saying: “Ibrahimovic has been a winner for a very long time and now that he is taking care of Milan not on the field but in an advisory role, I think with time he will be one of the top football administrators in the world.”

  • WHAT NEXT?

    Ibrahimovic hit 511 goals in his club career and a further 62 for his country. He is now working with USMNT stars Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah at AC Milan, while England international defender Kyle Walker has become the latest addition at San Siro.