While plenty of attention is devoted to Zlatan Ibrahimovic's character and his larger-than-life personality, his ego wouldn't have been nearly as effective if he hadn't also been one of the best players on the planet during the prime of his career. The Swede was a phenomenon in front of goal, ranking among the greatest strikers in football history, and wherever he played, he rarely struggled to find the back of the net.

Ibrahimovic represented some of the biggest teams in world football throughout his career and ranks among the most decorated footballers of all time when it comes to trophies won. He played for Barcelona, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United, alongside several other notable clubs. His imposing frame was matched by remarkable agility and speed, meaning there were few defenders in the beautiful game capable of keeping him quiet for an entire match. Having retired in 2023, the striker finished with 949 appearances for club and country, scoring 558 goals in the process.

Facing the superstar during his prime could have serious consequences for a player's career too, as one England centre-back discovered when his international career was effectively brought to an end after going up against Ibrahimovic.

Ibrahimovic Killed Ryan Shawcross' England Career

After several seasons impressing for Stoke City in the Premier League, Ryan Shawcross received his first-ever call-up to the England team in 2012. Supporters had been pushing for the defender to get an opportunity with the national side for some time and he was finally handed his chance, but his debut came against Sweden. He was tasked with trying to deal with Ibrahimovic and, by his own admission, things didn't go according to plan. In fact, the incident turned him into a source of jokes within his family. Via quotes shared by the Telegraph, Shawcross said:

"I’m the butt of the joke in my family, just because the 10 minutes I had in international football was ruined by one man. They are consistently saying that Zlatan ruined my career! I had a chance and I don’t think many other defenders have stopped him. I was given 10 minutes to show what I could do and probably didn’t provide a good enough performance. I was against one of the best strikers in the world who was on a hot streak at the time and these things happen."

The centre-back was able to look back on the episode with good humour at the time, but he never earned another England appearance for the rest of his career. That was unfortunate, considering he enjoyed a strong spell in the Premier League and had arguably done enough to deserve another opportunity.

Ryan Shawcross' Premier League Career

He never managed to join one of England's biggest clubs, but for much of his career, Shawcross was a top-level defender who held his own against some of the Premier League's finest strikers. After progressing through the Manchester United academy, he spent time on loan with Royal Antwerp and Stoke before eventually making his move to the latter permanent. The Potters were playing in the Championship at the time, but they soon secured promotion to the top flight with Shawcross at the centre of their defence.

From there, he helped Stoke establish themselves as a midtable Premier League side, with the club remaining in the top flight for 10 seasons before eventually being relegated to the Championship. Throughout his Premier League spell, Shawcross was highly impressive and attracted interest from several clubs over the years. No move ultimately materialised, however, and he stayed with Stoke for 13 years.

Across that period, the centre-back made 453 appearances for the Potters, including 317 in the top flight. He was a hugely important servant to the club, but departed in 2021 to join Inter Miami. His stay there lasted just one season before he retired, and he never represented England again. It's fair to say that Ibrahimovic may have played a role in that.