LONDON: Zlatan Ibrahimovic has warned LA Galaxy fans not to expect a a stunning show every time he takes the pitch.
The super Swede made an instant impression at his new club last week, when on debut he came off the bench to score twice, the first a brilliant volley from 35 yards, to seal a come-from-behind 4-3 win over Los Angeles FC.
He has spent everyday since since then hearing from fans and media who still can’t believe debut, something straight out of a Hollywood movie, actually happened.
But keen to manage expectations Ibrahimovic has told fans he is not, despite what he has said in the past, superman.
“Do I expect scoring goals like this in every game? No,” Ibrahimovic said.
“I can already kill the buzz. Every week will not be like this. Play good, prepare good, win the games, and that’s the way it works. ... A crazy game like that again? I hope not. I hope we can control the game better and play under control.
“I don’t expect crazy things every game. I’ll try, but it’s not often it goes in.”
The 36-year-old is set to make his second appearance for the Galaxy against Kansas City today. But Galaxy coach Sigi Schmid has not decided whether his Swedish superstar will make his first start. While Ibrahimovic looked invincible in his debut, the game was his first since Dec. 26 with Manchester United, and he will need time to reach full match fitness.
And as for Zlatan’s opening goal , nobody in LA is tired of watching the highlight just yet.
“As a coach, you learn not to get too high and not to get too low, but certainly that goal is as good a goal as you’ll see — ever,” Schmid said. “As I said when we showed the guys again on tape on Tuesday, I got goose bumps all over again. It’s a great goal.”
Ibrahimovic boldly declared his intention to win trophies when he arrived in Los Angeles last month, but he also wants to fit in well with his new team and its disparate collection of players gathered from Europe, South America and the US. And it is clear he has impressed with his work ethic and interest in every member of the roster. French wing Romain Alessandrini, who could return from injury Sunday, has already noticed the change in training.
“When you’re (playing with) a player like that, you give more than you have to give, because you have to be perfect with him,” Alessandrini said. “You have to give him the good ball. I think it’s good for everybody, because everybody wants to give more than they give.”
‘Don’t expect magic in every game’: LA Galaxy’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic
‘Don’t expect magic in every game’: LA Galaxy’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Riyadh 2026: The gateway to LIV’s most global season yet
- We are the world’s golf league, says LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil
- Riyadh will host the LIV Golf League season opener for the second consecutive season
RIYADH: Under the lights of Riyadh Golf Club, LIV Golf begins its campaign from February 4 to 7 in the Kingdom’s capital, opening what is the most international season to date. With 14 events scheduled across 10 countries and five continents, LIV has doubled down on its ambition to position itself as golf’s leading global circuit outside the United States.
For LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil, that identity is no longer about staging tournaments in different timezones, but also about aligning more closely with the sport’s tradition. One of the league’s headline shifts for 2026 has been the switch from 54-hole events to 72 holes.
“The move to 72 holes was much talked about,” O’Neil said at the pre-season press conference. “For us, that was relatively simple. We want to make sure that our players are best prepared for the majors, that it’s not as much of a sprint, that our teams have a chance to recover after a tough day one.”
He added that the decision was also driven by the league’s commercial and broadcast momentum across several markets.
“With the overwhelming support we have seen in several of our markets, quite frankly, more content is better. More fans come in, more broadcast content social hospitality checks check,” O’Neil said.
Launched in 2022 after a great deal of fanfare, LIV Golf had initially differentiated itself from other golf tours with a shorter, more entertainment-led event model. This includes team competition, alongside individual scoring, concert programming and fan-focused activations.
After four campaigns with 54-holes, the shift back to 72 signals an attempt to preserve the golf identity while answering longstanding questions about competitive comparability with golf’s established tours.
Riyadh will now host the LIV Golf League season opener for the second consecutive season, following its debut under the night lights in February 2025. As the individual fund rises from $20 million to $22 million, and the team purse increases from $5 million to $8 million, LIV Golf is not backing down on its bid to showcase confidence and continuity as it enters its fifth season.
For the Kingdom, the role goes beyond simply hosting the opening event. Positioned at the crossroads of continents, Riyadh has become LIV’s gateway city — the place where the league sets its tone before exporting it across various locations across the world.
“Players from 26 countries? Think about that being even possible 10 years ago, 15 years ago, 20 years ago,” O’Neil said. “That there would be players from 26 countries good enough to play at an elite level globally, and there is no elite platform outside the U.S.”
The departure of Brooks Koepka from LIV and his return to the PGA Tour has inevitably raised questions around player movement and long-term sustainability. O’Neil, however, framed the decision as a matter of fit rather than fallout.
“If you are a global citizen and you believe in growing the game, that means getting on a plane and flying 20 hours,” he said. “That’s not for everybody. It isn’t.”
Despite the separation, O’Neil insisted there was no animosity.
“I love Brooks. I root for Brooks. I am hoping the best for him and his family,” he emphasised.
Attention now turns to the players who have reaffirmed their commitment to LIV Golf, including Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cam Smith. Amid continued tensions with the DP World Tour and the sport’s traditional power centres, O’Neil insists the league’s focus remains inward.
“There is no holy war, at least from our side. We are about LIV Golf and growing the game globally,” he said.
From Riyadh to Adelaide, from Hong Kong to South Africa, LIV Golf’s 2026 calendar stretches further ever than before. As debate continues over the league’s place within the sport, LIV is preparing to show that its challenge to golf’s established order is not, as some doubters suggest, fading.
With the spotlight firmly on its fifth season, Riyadh will provide the first impression — the opening statement from which LIV Golf intends to show the world where it stands.
