by
Former Argentina international Sergio Aguero has hit back at Zlatan Ibrahimovic over the Sweden forward’s remark that the World Cup champions “will not win anything more.”
Ibrahimovic said certain Argentina players “behaved badly” while mocking France after their World Cup final victory and said “speaking as a top professional player, that is a sign that you will win once, but you won’t win again.”
– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)
Aguero, who last played for Argentina in July 2021 and was forced to retire just months later because of a heart condition, slammed Ibrahimovic.
“Before saying that, it would have been better for you to say that you would have preferred for France to win, instead of speaking about those that behaved badly,” Aguero said. “It seems to me that it is very rude to say that we [Argentina] are not going to win more.
“Before you worry about Argentina, worry about your country. They didn’t even qualify.”
Aguero celebrated Argentina’s third World Cup with his former teammates on the pitch and in the changing room after the final against France on Dec. 18.
Aguero played against Ibrahimovic in the Premier League and said the ex-Manchester United player “is the least qualified” to comment considering his past conduct on the pitch.
“Let’s remember that on the pitch you [Ibrahimovic] had bad behaviour,” Aguero said. “There were some sliding tackles, some hits that I remember at Los Angeles Galaxy. Is that behaving good or bad? You say it as a high-level professional, but let’s remember that playing, you also behaved badly.
“You are a good player, I don’t dispute that, but you are a fighter. You also fought with [former Manchester City defender Nicolas] Otamendi, you had an argument with [then Barcelona coach] Pep [Guardiola], that is why Barcelona wanted to sell you after. Talk about Argentina misbehaving, first you have to see if in your career you behaved well. Don’t spit up if it’s going to fall on you.
“To say that they behaved badly, you are the least indicated. You are not right. In the end it is your opinion.”
Aguero said he believes Ibrahimovic is bitter that Argentina captain Lionel Messi won a World Cup even though Ibrahimovic said: “Messi is considered the best player in history, I was sure he was going to win [the World Cup].”
“Messi won, perhaps that makes you angry,” Aguero said. “Perhaps it hurts you to recognise that he is the best in the world and that Argentina has won a World Cup.”
