Who did Zlatan fight with?

Zlatan’s Training Ground Tumble: A Decade-Old Scuffle Revealed

It's not often you hear about Zlatan Ibrahimovic being taken down—on or off the pitch. But according to a surprising revelation by former AC Milan striker Alexandro Pato, that’s exactly what happened more than ten years ago during a routine training session.

The incident, long kept under wraps, involved a brief but intense scuffle between Ibrahimovic and his teammate Oguchi Onyewu. As Pato recounted in a recent interview, tensions flared during practice, leading to physical confrontation. And in a moment that still sounds improbable, the towering American defender reportedly knocked over Zlatan “with ease”.

For fans who’ve seen Ibrahimovic dominate opponents with his strength and swagger, the image of him being bested in a tussle is hard to digest. Known for his fiery temperament and unshakable confidence, Zlatan has never been one to back down—even from a teammate. But Onyewu, a solid 6'4" center-back with a powerful build, clearly had the upper hand in that fleeting moment.

Thankfully, the altercation didn’t escalate further. Teammates intervened quickly, and training resumed as normal. Still, the story lingered behind locker-room doors until Pato finally brought it to light over a decade later.

What makes this anecdote compelling isn’t just the physical clash, but what it reveals about the intensity that defined that Milan era—talented, passionate, and at times, combustible. Even legends like Zlatan aren’t immune to a surprise fall, especially when pride is on the line.

While the Swede has faced countless rivals throughout his storied career, it’s a little-known irony that one of his most unexpected tumbles came not from an opponent, but from a teammate during a mundane training drill.