LA Galaxy's Zlatan Ibrahimovic 'Already Making Waves' In MLS: Calen Carr
Los Angeles Galaxy striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is already making waves across America according to former Houston Dynamo forward Calen Carr.
Ibrahimovic became the latest high-profile signing to arrive in Major League Soccer (MLS) when he joined the Galaxy last month shortly after departing Premier League side Manchester United.
Turning down a big-money offer from China in the process, the 36-year-old experienced a dream debut as he came off the bench while Galaxy were 4-3 down to LAFC and scored a sensational long-range goal to level the game.
He then dramatically won the game in injury time as he met an Ashley Cole cross to head the winner as he made numerous headlines around the world.
Ibrahimovic would score a third goal in three games in his first start for the club when he scored the only goal in a 1-0 win against the Chicago Fire this past weekend. It was also a record crowd of 21,915 fans at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Illinois.
Carr believes the former Sweden international truly lived up to the hype and also answered questions as to whether he could adapt to playing in a non-European league for a change.
"It's hard to stop talking about him. His entrance to MLS has been phenomenal," Carr told Sky Sports News. "Against Chicago there was a record crowd attendance in Toyota Park and the phenomenon of Zlatan has made waves throughout the league as numbers go. On and off the field, he's definitely been something to watch."
"To score two goals against LAFC after coming on, and win 4-3 in dramatic fashion, the team felt this was the right time for him to come into the starting line-up. There was a lot of talk about how the manager Sigi Schmid would bring him into the team but, in some ways, it's when Zlatan's ready and he wanted in from the start (vs. Chicago Fire)."
Carr added: "There were questions about him and how he would adjust to a new league and going from many different climates, for example from Los Angeles in the sun to a cold, brisk day in Chicago. (But) he went to Chicago and scored the winner after a fantastic cross from Ashley Cole, who's had a new lease of life since Zlatan joined the team."
Another sign of Ibrahimovic's star power is the reception he received during his appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on Tuesday where he notably hinted at participating in the World Cup this summer in Russia.
Ibrahimovic is retired from international football but recently hinted at a return for Sweden on Twitter before vaguely stating he will be going to Russia on the show.
"I'm going to the World Cup, yes," he told Kimmel. "I just said I'm going to the World Cup. If I say more, people will hang me so I have to be careful what I say now. A World Cup without me wouldn't be a World Cup."
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