Zlatan Ibrahimovic has a media relations strategy that might be described as "prickly."
He once refused to answer questions and then defended his decision with "I am the boss." He once insinuated he slept with a reporter's wife. He once responded to a question with "you think you know more about football than me?" In a different interview, he responded to a question with "I never heard this question before, I think you are the only one who don't understand."
Zlatan and journalists just don't see eye to eye. Until now. Because Zlatan is the journalist. He is also the subject. He posted a photo on Instagram that included an interview as the caption, and we can only assume Zlatan was asking the questions because one question included the phrase "beautiful Zlatan goals."
Either that or he got David Lagercrantz to make up his responses for him.
As both a professional journalist and someone who has spent far too many hours blabbering about the value of journalism in any democracy, I can't help but feel a pathological need to critique Zlatan's made up interview with himself. I have a problem.
Why didn't journalist Zlatan press player Zlatan on his lawsuit against a Swedish doctor who accused player Zlatan (and by extension journalist Zlatan) of doping? You'd have to at least touch on it, otherwise you're letting your subject off the hook. See me after class, journalist Zlatan.
My favorite part of this is when journalist Zlatan asks player Zlatan who on Manchester City would start for PSG and player Zlatan gives himself a total non-answer. Like, the voices in his head are now giving each other the silent treatment.
Also: "beautiful Zlatan goals."
(H/T Archie Rhind-Tutt)
Contact The18 Staff Writer Sam Klomhaus at Klomhaus@The18.com or follow him on Twitter @SamKlomhaus