Ricky -IWNL-

🚨🎙️ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIĆ ON JAPAN'S PERFORMANCE AGAINST BRAZIL: 🗣️“At this point, I'm short of words. This loss is painful, but they've proven themselves to the world. I have literally no words. Because when I watched Japan today, I didn't see a team that was afraid of Brazil. I saw a team that believed they could compete with one of the greatest football nations in history.” “From the goalkeeper to the defence, everything was perfect. The only thing lacking was the attack. And I have to be honest... I didn't feel like the attack really did their job. The build-up was excellent. The organisation was excellent. The pressing was excellent. But when the decisive moments arrived, they needed to be more ruthless. Against Brazil, you cannot waste your moments.” “Their goalkeeper should be the proudest man in that dressing room. For me, he's been the best goalkeeper in this tournament. The saves he made. The confidence he showed. The composure under pressure. He kept Japan believing until the very end. That's what elite goalkeepers do.” “People will only remember that Japan lost. I won't. I'll remember that they stood toe-to-toe with Brazil. They defended with courage. They played with intelligence. They fought for every ball. That earns my respect.” “They've lost, but it's a step to success. Sometimes football teaches you more in defeat than it does in victory. If this group stays together, learns from today and keeps believing in themselves, they'll become even stronger.” “I hope this generation gets to win something. Because generations like this don't come around often. They have discipline. They have quality. They have humility. And now they've shown they also have the mentality to compete with the very best. That combination is dangerous.” “So yes, they'll leave disappointed. They should. That's what competitors do. But when they wake up tomorrow, they should also be proud. Overall, they should be proud. Because today they didn't just play against Brazil. They earned the respect of the entire football world.”