Argentina and former Manchester City star, Sergio Aguero has taken a swipe at Swedish football star, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, over his comment about Lionel Messi and his criticism of countrymen’s conduct after their World Cup win.
While speaking in an interview after Messi won the World Cup with Argentina last month, Ibrahimovic rowed back on his previous comments where he rejected suggestions that Messi, whom he briefly played with at Barcelona, was the greatest to ever play the game.
The Swede further stated that he doesn’t think the Argentine players he felt behaved badly after the World Cup win, will be victorious in another competition.
Ibrahimovic said;
“Messi is considered to be the best player ever, I was sure he was going to win it. I am also convinced that Kylian Mbappe will still win one more World Cup.
“I’m not worried about Messi. I am worried about the others in Argentina because they are not going to win anything else. Messi has won everything and he will be remembered, but the rest who behaved badly, we cannot respect that.
“This is coming from me, speaking as a top pro player, it’s a sign that you will win once, but you won’t win again. You are not supposed to win like that.”
Hitting back at the Swede over the comment, Aguero, who is a former Manchester City striker recalled how Ibrahimovic allegedly behaved badly during a derby with Manchester United.
Speaking on Twitch, Aguero who was part of Argentina’s entourage during the last World Cup said;
“Let’s remember that you also behaved badly, right? I remember that we played against United. I was on the bench. You were provoking, you were talking back.
“I think that before worrying about Argentina, you should worry about your country, about your players, who aren’t even in the last World Cups. They didn’t even qualify, but well, I don’t know.
“I remember that you fought with [Nicolas] Otamendi in a game between City and United. You argued with Pep Guardiola. I imagine that’s why he wanted to sell you from Barcelona. You disrespected my teammates. What’s more, maybe you’re also talking to me because I was there. I feel like you shot me and now I’m shooting you. We are world champions, Zlatan, and you want to kill yourself. Messi is the best in the world, I’m sorry.”
Amid the faceoff between the players, Ibrahimovic’s claims are not unsubstantiated. FIFA had confirmed earlier this month that it will open a probe against Argentina Football Association after goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was spotted making an offensive gesture. Martinez had made a lewd gesture with the Golden Glove trophy after defeating France in the FIFA World Cup 2022 final in December.
The Argentinian national team had also been widely criticized for what some deemed to be ‘unsportsmanlike behaviour’. Against the Netherlands in the quarter-finals of the World Cup, temperatures boiled over between the two sets of players, and fierce words were exchanged.