The Swede asked a question of his new teammates on Friday that may have them believing in a higher power after Saturday's stunning debut
CARSON, Calif. — When Zlatan Ibrahimovic began his first training session with the LA Galaxy on Friday, he took a moment to ask his new teammates a surprising question. "Do you believe in God?" Ibrahimovic asked his rather perplexed new squad. After they all answered in the affirmative, Ibrahimovic delivered the punchline.
"I'm glad you all believe in me," the 36-year-old deadpanned, delivering a joke to break the ice with his new team.
After Saturday, Ibrahimovic's teammates were probably left wondering if he was joking. His jaw-dropping 40-yard blast of a finish, followed by a 90th-minute header, helped the Galaxy complete an improbable rally from 3-0 down to 4-3 winners in the first installment of their newly-born rivalry with expansion side Los Angeles FC.
It was a script fitting of Ibrahimovic's new Hollywood home, helping transform what seemed like a one-sided route into a rally for the ages, a match that immediately holds up as one of the most entertaining in MLS history, and easily one of the best individual debuts in league history.
"If you look back, every team I came to, the first official game I scored. I said I would not let it down today, I will score also today," Ibrahimovic said. "I was just waiting to come in because when you’re losing 3-0 the adrenaline is pumping even more because you want to be able to do something, help the team, especially when they’re in a difficult situation. I just wanted to come in.