'They said it was over, I said NO!' - Ibrahimovic's defiant message after LA Galaxy hat-trick

Chris Burton

'They said it was over, I said NO!' - Ibrahimovic's defiant message after LA Galaxy hat-trick image

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is still turning on the style for the LA Galay at 36 years of age, with the former Manchester United and Juventus striker making it clear that injury was never going to stop him.

Back in April 2017, during a productive debut campaign at Old Trafford, the enigmatic Swede suffered a serious knee injury while in Europa League action.

He would be forced under the knife as a result, with a long rehabilitation programme required in order to return to full health.

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Ibrahimovic was, however, able to rejoin United on a short-term deal during the 2017-18 campaign before later agreeing to head for America.

Now back at the peak of his powers, a modern day icon has been a revelation in MLS, netting 15 times in 17 appearances to date.

The most recent of those efforts came in a clash with Orlando City, with a 24-minute hat-trick allowing the Galaxy to hit back from 2-1 down to claim a stunning 4-3 win.

Ibrahimovic has been revelling in those heroics, with there never any doubt in his mind that he would get back to his talismanic best.

He posted in a message on his personal Instagram account which was accompanied by a picture of his surgically scared knee: “They said it was over. I said NO.”

 

They said it was over. I said NO

A post shared by Zlatan Ibrahimović (@iamzlatanibrahimovic) on

Ibrahimovic boldly declared during his recovery that he would return to action an even better player.

He said: "I will go through this like everything else and come back even stronger.

"So far I played with one leg so it shouldn't be any problem. One thing is for sure, I decide when it's time to stop and nothing else. Giving up is not an option. See you soon."

Medical professionals who helped to nurture him back to full fitness admitted to being stunned by Ibrahimovic’s physical prowess.

He has, however, been a figure throughout an iconic career that has always taken great pride in silencing any doubters and writing his own script.

There appears to be a few more chapters for him to pen, with a man happy to bill himself as a sporting lion still roaring along in the twilight of his career.

Chris Burton