The Swede applauded the midfielder’s circumstances as they shared a dressing room in the LA Galaxy
Zlatan Ibrahimovic repeatedly praised Efraín Álvarez, which is the main novelty of the list that Gerardo Martino presented for the tour that the Mexican national team will have in Europe. The Swede became a mentor to the 18-year-old in the Galaxy, highlighting his football and mental qualities and calling him MLS’s greatest promise.
Ibrahimovic came to the Los Angeles team for the 2018 season, the same in which Álvarez was eligible for the Californians’ first team, but his debut was presented until 2019, in which he shared the court eleven times with the Swede, whom he visited twice.
“For me he knows about football. There are players who play football and players who think of football. (Álvarez) is a player who thinks about football and they are the best because the boy who plays trains to play, the ones who think they are made to play, it’s the difference, ”the European stated in July 2019.
“The last game of which I said (Álvarez) is finished. You just need more minutes because that’s what you need now. He trains with us, he dominates in the training ”.
Although they started to coincide on the playing field in the 2019 season, Zlatan revealed that he advised Álvarez in 2018 so he could physically go to preseason well
“(At the end of) last year I didn’t say anything to him, I just said, ‘You have to lose five pounds before you go back.’ That’s the only thing. And he came back after he lost that and he was a totally different player ”.
In interview for ESPN In September 2019, Álvarez revealed what the relationship was like with Ibrahimovic, who was always aware of the current Mexican national team player as he sees him as potential to succeed in football.
“From the first day I met him, he has always wanted to help me. I met him and he started giving me advice and once you start to listen to his advice you want to learn from him. He knows very well what it takes ”.
‘He even said to me,’ If you need help, I’ll help you. I just want the best for you. I know the potential you have that’s why I’m going to help you, I’m not going to hurt you or hurt you. In the case of other players I am going to kill them, but with you I see potential, so I will try to help you ”.