I'll admit it; I'm biased. I live in Atlanta. In fact, my school is less than five minutes away from the new Mercedes-Benz stadium that will be the home of Major League Soccer's newest expansion club ATLUTD in 2017.
I've seen some of the plays that the 6'5" Swedish forward can make, and needless to say, like many other soccer fans in the world, I would love to see him play in person especially for my home club. However, Ibrahimovic shouldn't just come to the United States to play due to my selfish, although entirely reasonable, dreams as a football fan.
Here are four reasons Zlatan Ibrahimović should come to play in the United States for Atlanta United FC:
1. Make Easy Money
Needless to say for any football fan, but the MLS isn't the most competitive league in the world. The MLS is still in the early stages of being a league, established in 1993, just as soccer in the United States is in the budding stages of being a popular professional sport. Even with these two "downsides" considered, the MLS still has quite a bit of money to throw around for the caliber of league on the world stage that it is. Ricardo Kaká, one of the premier players in he MLS and the MLS's highest earner, makes a $7 million salary as a player for Orlando City SC. Ibrahimović, who is certainly worth more than Kaká, could easily draw $12 million plus as the premier player at a brand new club. Although this would certainly be a downgrade from the strikers €18 million ($20 million) salary that he earned last year at Paris Saint-Germain, the money he could earn as a player in the United States would be much easier earned in a less competitive, less physically straining league allowing increased monetary and career longevity.
2. Cement Legacy on a Winning Team
Let's face it; any MLS team with the addition of Zlatan Ibrahimović would be a favorite to win the league. He has the ability to score from nearly anywhere in the front half of the pitch; therefore, all he needs is a decent midfield that can properly distribute the ball to him ahead and give him the opportunity to score. Ibrahimović can dominate the MLS, bringing multiple championships to his club, and cement his legacy as one of the greatest to ever play in the MLS as well as one of the greatest footballers in history.
3. Play Somewhere New
Ibra is known for the numerous clubs he's played for from Juventus in Italy to Barcelona in Spain to Paris Saint-Germain in France. However, Ibrahimović has yet to cross the Atlantic to play in the Americas. This is his chance to play somewhere new and experience an entirely different cultural experience while getting the opportunity to live in a major economic and entertainment hub in Atlanta.
4. Change the Culture
Ibrahimović is one of the most exciting players to ever play football. The goals he scores can turn a non-believer into an enthusiast. Ibrahimović has the ability to change soccer culture in the United States by putting into the forefront the amazing abilities that footballers have especially from the pinnacle of the southern United States that would be Atlanta FC. He would literally become the figurehead of Major League Soccer and could have the opportunity to popularize soccer in the United States.
I know. It's a longshot. I realize the Swedish striker is still very much an efficient, exciting, and sought after player. Despite all this, I have to maintain: bring #IBRAtoUSA.
