What if: Lionel Messi had signed for Real Madrid?

2. Zlatan Ibrahimovic would have become pivotal for Barcelona

”You don’t buy a Ferrari, and drive it like a Fiat”, was Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s famous dismissal of the he was treated at Barcelona. A headline signing for the Catalans, as they bid to fight commercially as well on the pitch with Real Madrid, the Swedish genius was never plan A for Pep Guardiola.

‘Cos plan A was, and is always, Lionel Andres Messi

Thrown on more to change things up when Guardiola felt the need for it, Zlatan grew disillusioned at the prospect of playing second fiddle to anybody – even the best player on the planet, and he said goodbye to Spain and set about building an empire in France with oil-rich Paris Saint Germain. Imagine if Messi was not there though.

Along with Ronaldo and Messi, Zlatan makes up the top 3 footballers of the last decade (or so) and without either of them to take away his glory at Barcelona, he would have revelled... and become pivotal for Barcelona. This would have also enabled him to seriously challenge Messi and Ronaldo for the tag of World’s Best Footballer, and for that wonderful trophy of FIFA Ballon d’Or