'Ted Lasso' Footballer Zava Is Eerily Similar to One of the World's Greatest Soccer Players

Is ‘Ted Lasso’ footballer Zava in keeping with a real particular person? In Season 3, Episode 2 of ‘Ted Lasso,’ famous striker Zava shakes issues up.

Spoiler alert: This article comprises spoilers for Ted Lasso Season 3, Episode 2.

We’re all hoping that Season 3 of Ted Lasso is the season by which AFC Richmond will in the end win all of it. But it’s going to take so much to get there. However, if “so much” simply way the highest footballer in the global, it may well be possible. In Episode 2, “(I Don’t Want to Go to) Chelsea,” we all be informed that a footballer named Zava needs to play in the Premier League.

He’s described as a dwelling legend, somewhat of a diva, and of course, the highest striker (offensive player) to play the sport of soccer. While Zava, portrayed hilariously by way of Maximilian Osinski in the Apple TV Plus sequence, seems too outlandish to be actual, he in reality is loosely in response to a real individual. But who is Zava in accordance with?

Zava is most probably in keeping with Swedish soccer player Zlatan Ibrahimović.

While the Ted Lasso writers haven’t officially made any comparisons between Zava and Zlatan Ibrahimović, the similarities are uncanny. Not only does Maximilian glance eerily like Zlatan, but Zava even performs soccer with Zlatan’s trademark enjoying genre. According to ESPN, Zlatan is “excellent in the air, quick, tall, strong and agile, he performs neatly with his back to goal and boasts some of the perfect finishing, imaginative and prescient, passing and ball regulate around."

Zlatan, of course, describes his own style as such: “Swedish style? No. Yugoslavian style? Of course not. It has to be Zlatan-style." FIFA did a round-up of Zlatan’s maximum memorable quotes because, like Zava, Zlatan now and again speaks in the third person. Another amazing quote comes from when he was once requested about what he bought his wife for her birthday. “Nothing,” he said. “She already has Zlatan."

In Ted Lasso, we first learn about Zava when Higgins reveals that he’s leaving Juventus FC, one of Italy’s biggest soccer teams. Trent Crimm explains to Ted, “Zava is a world-class striker who’s about to leave his club in Italy.” While Zlatan has played in the Premier League as well, we doubt it’s for the same reason as Zava, whose wife “binged The Office and wants to live in England.”

Even still, one of the biggest hints that Zava is based on Zlatan is his description as a “diva.” Higgins tells the team, “Zava has played for 14 teams in 15 years, leaving behind nothing but chaos and trophies.”

Zlatan isn’t too different. He’s played for 10 different clubs, including Juventus, over the course of his 24-year career, in addition to the Swedish national team. He’s won 34 trophies and scored almost 570 career goals. Zlatan has now returned to play with AC Milan, but will likely retire soon after he became the oldest goalscorer in Serie A history.

In Ted Lasso, Zava is one of those inexplicable characters — he’s loved by all and feared by all. That all changes when Rebecca stops fearing him and confronts him instead. By challenging him instead of sucking up to him, she’s able to win Zava over to AFC Richmond, much to Rupert’s chagrin.

While Zava could help the team win, his “diva” status may upset the chemistry of the team. And if we’re to learn anything from Zlatan’s history, that’s a definite possibility. His short stint at Barcelona ended in a feud between Zlatan and Barcelona’s coach, Pep Guardiola.

Bleacher Report also describes Zlatan as a “prima donna.” Sports broadcaster Ryan Bailey wrote, “The talented Swede thinks he is god's gift to the beautiful game—a reality confirmed by means of his assertion that the World Cup wouldn't be value watching with out him and that he doesn't desire a Ballon d'Or trophy to know he is the greatest.”

How will Zava’s superstar energy and ego impact the rest of the AFC Richmond players? We have no way of knowing, however we do know that regardless of what occurs, it'll be nearly as fun to watch as the real Zlatan.

New episodes of Ted Lasso drop each and every Wednesday on Apple TV Plus.

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