Zlatan Ibrahimovic shows off intricate buttock tattoos in naked snaps for ESPN Body Issue and reveals his Manchester United rehab struggles
The former Old Trafford ace might be a legend from his goalscoring exploits playing up front – but it is his rear end that has caught the eye in his latest photoshoot
ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC has showed off an incredible pair of tattoos – on his buttocks.
The former Manchester United star, 36, might have been making an art of playing up front and scoring during his incredible career.
But it's his rear end that has raised eyebrows, with two intricate mandala-style designs in blue, one on each cheek.
The Swede was posing in the buff for the latest edition of , where sports stars – male and female – get rid of their clothes and show off their incredible physiques.
The former AC Milan and Barcelona star revealed he struggled after injuring his cruciate ligament in 2017, meaning he missed the end of Manchester United's season and their Europa League triumph.
He said: "I trained every day, boring training. But I needed to do it.
MOST READ IN FOOTBALL
"And I had people around me that believed in me and gave me that extra push. I had my family. I had my agent.
"I had my physio. We worked every day.
"And when I signed the extra year with Manchester United [in August 2017], I asked [coach Jose] Mourinho, 'Can I do [rehab] from distance? Because if I see the team-mates every day, I will go crazy.'
"I want to be with them. I am that kind of person.
"When the coach needs me, I'm there even if my knee is not there or I have a broken leg or something.
WE'RE RON THE BALL All the latest action, news, goals and gossip from the World Cup
"I will be there for them because that's how I work. When they need me, I will stand up for them.
"And I will defend them in every moment. So I asked to keep distance, to do my training isolated.
"I give a big thanks to United [for letting me do that], to my team-mates that was in United, to coach Mourinho – that gave me that confidence. And I'm here now, and I'm enjoying my football here now."
Ibra has scored seven times since moving to LA Galaxy and made a stunning start to his career at the club with two goals during a sensational turnaround against rivals Los Angeles FC.
But he also admitted he is still cut up inside over missing out on the World Cup with Sweden, despite not playing during their qualifiers.
Ibrahimovic added: "In the beginning, the first games was different because I felt I can do it much better than them, obviously. And still I feel that.
"But there is a time when you say let them do it and let them enjoy because where I came from, I was not welcome. I was different. I came from a different background.
"And I went through all those things and I became the captain on my national team. I mean, bigger than that it cannot be."
