Former Ghana international Sulley Muntari has weighed in on why Swedish football icon Zlatan Ibrahimović never won the prestigious Ballon d’Or.
According to Muntari, who played alongside Ibrahimović at both Inter Milan and AC Milan, the outspoken striker was overlooked because of his unfiltered opinions.
“Ibrahimovic is the top player, he’s one of the best during his time. They didn’t want to give him the Ballon d’Or, because he speaks his mind too much. Sometimes they don’t like to hear that, but Ibrahimovic is massive. My best strikers of all time are Eto’o, Ibrahimovic and Henry,” Sulley Muntari said in an interview with Flashscore.
Addressing Ibrahimović’s personality, Muntari dismissed the perception that the towering forward was intimidating. Instead, he described him as a player who always demanded the best from his teammates.
“As a teammate, Ibrahimović wasn’t intimidating at all. He just wanted to bring out the best in you. He won games effortlessly for every team he played for. I was fortunate to play with him during his early years at Inter and later at Milan,” Muntari said.
Now retired from playing, Ibrahimović has transitioned into an advisory role at AC Milan. Muntari believes the former striker is destined for success in football administration.