Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Hakan Calhanoglu were close friends at Milan, but their rapport has hit a new low following Calha’s latest interview with Tivibu Spor. Here’s the story of how their friendship ended.
Ibra and Calhanoglu used to hang out together while playing for the Rossoneri. They spent a year and a half in the black and red half of Milan before the Turkey international joined Inter as a free agent a year ago.
“Ibra is a leader and a champion on the pitch. He is a very nice and amusing person off the pitch and there is a great friendship between us,” Calhanoglu told Sportmediaset in June 2020.
“I am younger, but we often joke and he gives me advice.”
No dia em que saíram os resultados dos exames que excluíram uma lesão no tendão de Aquiles, Ibrahimovic resolveu dar uma voltinha de moto com seu companheiro de time Çalhanoglu… #Zlatan #Ibrahimovic #Ibra
Crédito: Instagram/iamzlatanibrahimovic pic.twitter.com/5M2e5Lpq4p
— TNT Sports BR (@TNTSportsBR) May 26, 2020
One month before that interview, the duo was spotted close to the lake of Como during a motorbike ride.
However, Calhanoglu’s move to the other side of the city upset Ibra, who hasn’t had nice words for his former teammate since.
“We must thank him for what he gave to Milan and wish him the best for the future,” Ibra wrote in his latest book, Adrenaline.
“It sounds terrible to say, but Calha has taken advantage of a tragic situation. [Former] Inter star [Christian] Eriksen collapsed on the floor during Denmark vs. Finland due to a heart attack, so Inter needed a player in that position and signed Hakan.
“Before that incident, he hadn’t received any offer from Inter or any other team.”
Calhanoglu: ‘Inter stronger than Milan, Ibrahimovic too old for this’
It was not the only time Ibra took a swipe at his ex-teammate and friend. During Milan’s open bus parade last month, the striker incited Milan fans to ‘send a message to Hakan.’
As a result, the Rossoneri fans targeted the Turkey international and his mother with insulting chants.
One month later, Calhanoglu reacted to the whole thing in an interview with Tivibu Spor in Turkey.
“He is a 40-year-old man, not 18, so I wouldn’t do that sort of thing at his age. He just likes being the centre of attention. He didn’t contribute to the Scudetto this season, he barely played but will do everything to be the focus anyway,” he said.
“Besides, he is the one who always calls me up, asks me to go out to dinner or for a motorbike ride. He wrote about me in his book too. He had to write something, or it would’ve been blank pages. It’s best not to bother, honestly.”
It remains to be seen if there will be a new chapter of this story with another reaction from Ibra. Inter seem willing to do so. The Nerazzurri didn’t like Calhanoglu’s claims about their coach Simone Inzaghi and could fine him for his interview, which the club hadn’t organised.
Really wish he had never worn our shirt. SOOO happy when he left.
There is a marked difference between he and Ibra, one is a champion who will be regarded for years to come. The other will be known ( not remembered ) as a self centered average player , and for the most part be irrelevant in the history books.
Same old crap from him, If Inter had left him on in every game they would have won CL and the league lol.
Funny. Didn’t Ibra leave Inter to go to Barcelona so he could play with Messi and win the Champions League? I believe that’s the year Inter won the treble lol. Ibra is really a talented player just the attitude was always crap, that’s why he was never able to win a Champions League even though he’s played for league winners for most of his career. Couldn’t win it with Juventus, Inter, Barcelona, PSG, Manchester United, and now AC Milan. Sad really he had the talent and played for big teams but just didn’t have that killer instinct, that champion mentality.
@Gordon, really? Ibra has winner mentality in buckets. The only club he really failed for the CL is Barcelona as none of the others were real contenders, which is more about the other players at the club at the time. Ibra will be remembered as a phenomenal player. Few will remember the Turk.
I don’t think making fun of others will heal your deep wounds, Zlatan.
Thank you for sacrificing yourself to a loser side and raising funds in a single deal for Inter to buy Motta, Milito, Sneijder, and Eto’o as a gift.
I doubt Inter could have won CL with your arrogance around. That’s how you managed to lose it with the strongest Barcelona (If not the strongest team) in history.
Just look at this wannabe in that picture 🤣
🤣🤣🤣
@Tony, I’m not saying he’s not a great player. He’s talented but every time it’s come to elimination games he’s gone missing. When he was at Barcelona, Inter, and PSG he got eliminated with barely contributing anything in any of those games and he was surrounded with decently talented platers. He lost to Inter the year he left to go to Barcelona so he could play with Messi. The same thing is happening with Hakan, he lost to Milan the year he left to go the champions that year Inter. Ibra shouldn’t even be talking about loyalty or leaving to go to a club had just won a title because he’s done all that too.
@ Gordon The true measure of success are league titles not champions league because luck plays a greater role in the latter. The main reason ibra hasn’t won a champions league or indeed a World Cup, is luck. Being at the wrong club at the wrong time and from the wrong country. It’s a bit silly saying a player who has won as many titles as Ibra is not a winner.
There’s very few players who could’ve done what he did at Milan which was lift an entire team. I don’t think even Messi would’ve had the same impact. Milan are unrecognisable compared to when he joined with the same players lifting their levels overnight.
@Gordon: (Brazillian) Ronaldo never won CL either, is he not one of the greatest player that has ever graced the field then?
I wonder when this relationship starts to break down, maybe after the infamous quip “Sometimes I don’t effing understand you”? Then Hakan retaliated with “playing with quality teammates now”.
Man, so much drama lol.
The Turk is a drama queen, inconsistent and will be forgotten.
The Swede is a winner, legend and will be reminded.
End of story. Do not lie to yourself 😉
Both are clowns, end of debate
Ibra also do the same when left inter for barcelona. Ibra is really king of hypocrite. The same thing for Hakan.