Comparing Zlatan Ibrahimovic's Role for PSG vs. Role for Sweden
It has been a phenomenal season so far for Paris Saint-Germain and Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
The 34-year-old has been insatiable in front of goal and boasts 35 strikes and 15 assists from 39 appearances across all competitions with the French champions so far.
At international level, Ibrahimovic has added six goals from six outings, and he fired the Scandinavians to qualification for this summer’s UEFA European Championship in France.
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In total, the towering striker has registered 41 goals and 15 assists from 45 appearances across all competitions for club and country—sensational statistics by anyone’s high standards.
Looking at Ibrahimovic’s role for Ligue 1 giants PSG and comparing it with the role he plays for the Swedish national team, there are lots of similarities to note.
Wearing No. 10 for both Les Parisiens and Blagult, he is also the talisman of both sides. While he is not the French capital outfit’s permanent skipper like he is Sweden’s, he does possess an influential role as Thiago Silva’s vice-captain at Parc des Princes.
Wearing the armband on a permanent basis for Erik Hamren’s men reflects Ibrahimovic’s seniority and status as an inspirational figure for the Scandinavian team.
However, it also emphasises his wealth of experience and—with all due respect—the fact that he is simply head and shoulders above anyone else in the team in terms of his ability.
Ibrahimovic occupies the same role on the pitch for PSG and Sweden, playing as the focal point of the attack.
There is one major difference, though; his supporting cast is of far superior quality in Paris than it is with his home country.
This means that he is required to be just as—if not more—creative at international level with Sweden as the team relies on him to score goals, whether it is taking the chances or making them.
That said, although he is more than capable of creating and finishing opportunities, Ibrahimovic’s main function in both teams is to put the ball in the back of the net.
Whether playing domestically or in Europe with PSG, or representing his country, the former AC Milan, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Juventus, AFC Ajax and Malmo FF man scores goals with unerring consistency.
In 116 Ligue 1 appearances for the French champions, Ibrahimovic has scored 102 goals and racked up a further 35 assists. He can add 16 domestic cup goals and another three assists from 22 matches to those league figures, while chipping in a further 19 goals and 12 assists from 31 UEFA Champions League outings.
All told, Ibrahimovic has scored 137 goals and directly provided another 50 from just 166 appearances across all competitions with PSG.
Although he has played fewer games for Sweden than he has for the recently crowned Ligue 1 champions, Ibrahimovic’s international statistics still make for impressive reading.
In just 39 matches for Blagult since he signed for Les Parisiens, the man from Rosengard has netted 34 goals and tallied eight assists in 39 outings across all competitions.
To be averaging better than one goal every two games with PSG is one thing, but to be boasting that at international level as well is another. His scoring record for Sweden is arguably more impressive than his club one—that is some feat considering his achievements in France.
Ibrahimovic can—and has—single-handedly led both teams at times. However, the weight of expectation on the super Swede is arguably greater with his country than it is with his club.
When playing for PSG, it is possible for him to take a back seat and allow the likes of Angel Di Maria, Edinson Cavani, Lucas Moura and Javier Pastore to step forward instead. With Sweden, he is rarely afforded that luxury.
If Ibrahimovic does not play for Hamren’s men, they generally tend to struggle. Although Laurent Blanc’s Paris side is still "Zlatan-dependent" to a degree, Le President has more alternatives available to him than his Swedish counterpart.
One thing is clear, though. In his current form and despite his age, Ibrahimovic is irreplaceable for both club and country.
