The Nation Newspaper

Tag: LA Galaxy

  • David Beckham has LA Galaxy statue unveiled in glittering ceremony

    David Beckham has had a statue of himself unveiled in Los Angeles as he attended the LA Galaxy’s 2-1 win over the Chicago Fire on the opening day of the 2019 MLS season.

    The former England captain played for LA Galaxy between 2007 and 2012 during the twilight years of his stellar career, leading them to two championships, and he is still held in high regard in California.

    During a special ceremony ahead of the game in California, Beckham’s statue was unveiled as he was joined by wife Victoria at a special ceremony.

  • Russia 2018: Enjoy yourselves without me – Zlatan

    Sweden’s former striker, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, said on Thursday that the country’s team to the World Cup in Russia would enjoy less pressure without him in the squad.

    He told reporters in Moscow that his absence in the team would reduce expectation from the players at the tournament.

    “I think Sweden; they have less pressure when I’m not there, because when I’m there we’re supposed to win everything.

    “Just enjoy. No pressure, because I’m not there,” the 36-year-old said.

    The LA Galaxy forward, who played 116 times for Sweden over 15 years, was in Moscow to promote Visa card-less payment systems.

    Sweden are in Group F with world champions, Germany, Mexico and South Korea and will open their account against the Koreans on Monday in Nizhny Novgorod.

    Read Also: Zlatan departure a big loss for European soccer – Mourinho

    Germany, though, will be the mountain to climb.

    “Germany is the Deutsche-machine. You know they will do well, and they always do well,” Ibrahimovic said.

    “I always say a good team doesn’t have 11 players, they have 22 fantastic players.

    “With Germany, it’s not like you have a star; I think the team is the star, and that’s why they’re so strong.”

    He also said Brazil “will do something out of the limits” as they looked to rebound from their 7-1 nightmarish thrashing by Germany in the 2014 World Cup semi-finals in their own country.

    NAN

     

  • Zlatan departure a big loss for European soccer – Mourinho

    European soccer has lost a “huge player” in Zlatan Ibrahimovic but the striker will raise the level of the game in the U.S following his move to LA Galaxy, Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho said on Friday.

    Ibrahimovic last week ended a short but successful stint at United where he won the League Cup and the Europa League.

    The striker has become the latest high-profile player to move to the MLS, following the likes of David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Thierry Henry and Frank Lampard.

    Mourinho used his news conference ahead of Saturday’s English Premier League game against Swansea City to pay tribute to the talismanic Swedish forward who he previously coached at Inter Milan.

    “For me it’s always sad when the big players move towards the end.

    “I remember Luis Figo’s last match with me and Inter, it was one of my saddest moments.

    The Zlatan goodbye was more in that direction, he’s a huge player that European Football has lost.

    “But this period with LA Galaxy will be very good for him, he will be good for American football, because of what he can do; his personality, his passion and his professionalism,” Mourinho told reporters.

    Ibrahimovic sustained a bad knee injury in United’s Europa League quarter-final against Belgian side Anderlecht last April but returned to make seven appearances for the Old Trafford side this season.

    “His recovery was an example of what a professional should be,” Mourinho added.

    “For him (the move to U.S.) will just be a way to enjoy the last couple of years of football.”

    United will be without back-up goalkeeper Sergio Romero for the weekend’s game, after the Argentine international picked up a knock in his country’s 6-1 friendly defeat by Spain.

    Ashley Young was also injured on international duty with England but could play against Carlos Carvalhal’s 14th-placed side.

    United are second in the table on 65 points from 30 games as they bid to finish as runners-up to champions-elect Manchester City.

    Reuters/NAN

  • Ibrahimovic gets LA Galaxy super welcome

     

    Zlatan Ibrahimovic received a hero’s welcoming at the LA International Airport Friday as he touched down to resume his sojourn with MLS side LA Galaxy

    On hand to receive the Swede who is the club’s latest addition were club officials, fans and the mediaAn LA Galaxy press conference introducing Ibrahimovic will be held later

    Manchester United agreed to mutually part ways with  Ibrahimovic earlier this month, paving the way for the 36-year-old striker to complete his move to the west coast of America.

    He follows in the footsteps of former team-mates David Beckham and Andrea Pirlo, who also made the transatlantic switch, as well as Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard.

    Ibrahimovic has won four domestic league titles during a glittering career to date which has seen him play for Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain among others, after starting out at homeland club Malmo.

    The MLS season began earlier this month and Ibrahimovic is available to make his debut for his new club against city rivals LAFC on Saturday March 31

    LA Galaxy captain Ashley Cole, formerly of Chelsea, has backed Ibrahimovic to adapt to life in MLS and become one of the top strikers in the league.

    “I think it’s great news to have a big personality, a big player not just for LA Galaxy, but certainly for the MLS to make this league even bigger,” said Cole.

    “Some people talk about the age, but for me it’s a great signing and hopefully the young lads here can learn off him.

    When asked what kind of impact Ibrahimovic will have, Cole added: “I think a big one. If he stays fit and gels quicker than some players have then I think he’ll be great.

    “I think he has every attribute to be one of the best strikers in the league and hopefully he can score some goals.”

  • Ibrah ‘the lion’ roars in new commercial

     

    Former Manchester United ace Zlatan Ibrahimovic may someday venture into movie making after he thrilled in a commercial for a betting company.

    The 36-year-old, who recently  signed for LA Galaxy following the expiration of his contract at Old Trafford , can be seen in the advert squaring off with an enemy before ending hostilities with afternoon tea in a strange turn of events.

    The Bosnian advert is all in the name of gambling website Bethard, which has enlisted Ibrahimovic as one of their newest members.

    The advert begins with some sinister music and a mysterious figure leaping around and crawling through a dilapidated warehouse that is on fire.

    He then comes across a statue of a lion that is at the end of a path surrounded by fire. The figure pulls out a type of bazooka and proceeds to fire a rocket into the lion.

    The statue explodes but Ibrahimovic, looking extremely chiselled emerges from the dust and confronts his enemy with a roar, fitting for someone who has called themselves a lion previously.

    After a brief standoff and some words exchanged in Bosnian, the pair appear to forget what had brought them to this point and instead made amends with a pleasant afternoon tea.

    Ibrahimovic took out a full-page advert in the Los Angeles Times to confirm his move to Major League Soccer after United agreed to cancel the final three months of his contract.

    He has left Old Trafford after just a season-and-a-half in the Premier League to move to the USA after only managing seven appearances in his second season in England.

    Ibrahimovic joined on a free transfer in the summer of 2016 and proved an instant success, scoring 28 goals in his debut campaign and helping United secure a League Cup and Europa League double before injuries struck.

  • Beckhams set to move into £5million country barn’

    Beckhams set to move into £5million country barn’

    Build it like Beckham! Final preparations are underway as David and Victoria ‘prepare to move in to £5million Grade II-listed country barn’

    It seems that the £2million renovations on the Beckham family’s new barn conversion in the Cotswolds have got underway.

    Security have been seen patrolling the country lanes around the property as construction on the 3-barn establishment begins  which will see the building converted into one 9 bedroom home for David, Victoria and their four children.

    The famous family were said to have purchased the Grade II-listed property, worth £5million, back in January.

    Two new glass extensions, which connect each house, appear to have already been constructed, while new windows appear to have been fitted and landscaping has begun on the grounds and driveway.

    It is not known when the Beckhams, who were said to be ready to ditch busy west London for the peaceful Cotswolds last month, will be moving in.

    The nine-bedroom mansion sits in acres of rolling countryside near Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire.

    In the late 1990s, David and Victoria moved into Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire’s 17-acre Rowneybury House, famously dubbed Beckingham Palace, which they eventually sold in 2012.

    After David played for LA Galaxy they lived in a £24million Californian mansion until he quit football.

    They returned to Britain in 2014 following David’s retirement from football and moved into a £31.5 million mansion in west London.

  • Beckham quits football

    Beckham quits football

    Former England captain, David Beckham, announced on Thursday that he will retire from professional soccer at the end of the season, Supersport.com reports.

    “I’m thankful to PSG for giving me the opportunity to continue but I feel now is the right time to finish my career, playing at the highest level,” the 38-year-old Paris St Germain midfielder said in a statement.

    “I want to thank all my teammates, the great managers that I had the pleasure of learning from. I also want to thank the fans who have all supported me and given me the strength to succeed.”

    Beckham earned 115 caps for England, a record for an outfield player, and won the Champions League, six Premier League titles and two FA Cups with Manchester United.

    He also won league titles with Real Madrid in Spain, LA Galaxy in the United States and PSG in France.