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Former Black Stars midfielder Sulley Muntari has offered insights into why Swedish football legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic never won the prestigious Ballon dâOr award, despite multiple nominations.
According to Muntari, who played alongside IbrahimoviÄ at both Inter Milan and AC Milan, the Swedeâs outspoken nature may have played a role in denying him the coveted award.
IbrahimoviÄ is a top playerâone of the best of his time.
Muntari stated in an interview with Flashscore.
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They didnât want to give him the Ballon dâOr because he speaks his mind too much. Sometimes people donât like to hear that, but IbrahimoviÄ is massive. My best strikers of all time are Etoâo, IbrahimoviÄ, and Henry.
The Ballon dâOr, awarded annually by France Football since 1956, recognizes the best-performing player over the previous season.
Despite IbrahimoviÄâs incredible talent and consistent nominations, he never won the award. His closest attempt came in 2013 when he finished fourth, marking his best-ever placement.
Reflecting on IbrahimoviÄâs personality, Muntari described him as a supportive and driven teammate rather than an intimidating figure.
As a teammate, IbrahimoviÄ wasnât intimidating at all. He just wanted the best out of you. He won games easily for whichever team he played for. I played with him during his early years at Inter and later at Milan.
IbrahimoviÄ is now the senior advisor to AC Milan's management and ownership.
Zlatan hanged his boot at AC Milan
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Ibrahimovic
Zlatan IbrahimoviÄ officially retired from professional football on June 4, 2023, following AC Milan's final game of the season against Hellas Verona.
The emotional farewell at San Siro saw the iconic striker reduced to tears as he bid goodbye to the sport after an illustrious career spanning over two decades.