The Swede applauded the midfielder’s conditions when they shared dressing room at LA Galaxy
Zlatan Ibrahimovic repeatedly flattered Efraïm Álvarez, Who is the main novelty of the list presented by Gerardo Martino for the tour that the Mexican team will have in Europe. The Swede became a mentor for the 18-year-old in the Galaxy, of which he highlighted his footballing and mental qualities so he categorized him as the highest promise in MLS.
Ibrahimovic came to the angel squad for the 2018 season, this one in which Alvarez began to be considered for the first team of the Californians, but his debut was presented until 2019, In which he shared the track eleven times with the Swede he attended twice.
“For me, he knows football. There are players who play football and players who think about football. (Alvarez) is a player who thinks about football and they are the best because the guy who plays, is training to play. , those who think they are made to play, is the difference “, declared the European in July 2019.
“The last game I said (Alvarez) is ready. He just needs to have more minutes because that’s what he needs now. He’s training with us, he’s dominating in training.”
Although they started to coincide on the pitch in the 2019 season, Zlatan revealed that in 2018 he had advised Alvarez so he could get well physically in the preseason.
“(At the end) of last year, I didn’t say anything to him, I just said, ‘You need to lose five pounds before you come back.’ That’s the only thing. And he came back after I had lost that and it was a totally different player “.
In interview by ESPN in September 2019, Alvarez revealed what the relationship was like with Ibrahimovic, who was always on the lookout for the current player of the Mexican National Team as he sees potential to succeed in football.
“From the first day I met him, he has always wanted to help me. I met him and he started giving me advice and once you start listening to his advice, you want to learn from him. He knows it well. what is needed “.
“He even said to me, ‘If you need help, I’ll help you. I just want the best for you. Be the potential you have so I’m going to help you, I’m not going to hurt you or I’m going to help you. “In the case of other players, I will kill them, but with you, I see potential, so I will try to help you.”