Ibrahimovic's arm-waving became more frantic and Hamren indicated he would have to wait. His captain did not like that. When he finally got his wish, four minutes or so later with Sweden now only 2-1 ahead, Ibrahimovic screamed at Hamren's staff as he took his seat.
'Of course, I didn't want to bring him off,' Hamren later told Sportsmail. Then he turned his palms to the sky and shrugged, the acceptance of a national manager who knows what it is to be No 2.
Three days later, in Copenhagen, Ibrahimovic scored the 411th and 412th goals of his career — the second a brilliant free-kick — and Denmark were knocked out.
'They said they were going to send me to retirement,' Ibrahimovic said to camera. 'I sent their whole nation into retirement.'
Two games, one neat distillation of the chaos and charisma that accompany a serial winner. To think, there remains a chance that the brilliant madness of King Zlatan could yet come to this country
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