Zlatan Ibrahimovic Makes the Back-Pass Exciting Again

By: Daryl | March 29th, 2010

There was a time when the back-pass was the dullest thing in all of football. A maneuver so mind numbing that in 1992 the authorities introduced a rule that outlawed the practice of goalkeepers picking up passes from their teammates. The world cheered, because the world hated back-passes. But that was before Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Zlatan is well known for his unorthodox approach to the beautiful game, but this weekend he revolutionized the “back-pass” while playing for Barcelona by making it literal. Hopefully you’ve already played the above video by now (seriously, does anyone read the text before clicking play?) but I’ll describe it for you anyway.

~~Bojan~~ Pedro plays in a deep cross from the right, and Zlatan ever so perfectly lays the ball back to Leo Messi at the top of the box. Using his back. Messi’s shot was saved, but it’s still a remarkable moment. Here are three reasons for its remarkableness:

1. Zlatan was not looking in Messi’s direction, and yet still played the ball directly to him. Either the big Swede has great awareness, or a freaky pair of extra eyes in the back of his head. Which would actually explain the long hair.
2. It should not be possible to accurately direct a football with your back. Chest yes, but back? No. So I’m thinking maybe Zlatan’s torso is actually made up of two chests, instead of the standard one chest and one back formation.
3. Leo Messi failed to score. This might be the most remarkable thing of all.

Hats off to Zlatan for yet another inspired moment, and here’s hoping that the footballing authorities never ever get around ruling out this new and exciting form of back-pass.

UPDATE: Seems Ronaldinho has already done this, and in a Barcelona shirt too. How quickly we (or at least I) forget. Here’s a back-pass he made vs (I think) Xerez:

And here’s another (via Soccer Training Info) where Ronaldinho sets up a goal for Ludovic Giuly vs Osasuna in 2005. Go to 2:50 in the video below, and decide for yourself if this was better than Zlatan’s effort:

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alex

Cuauhtemoc Blanco, the mexican veteran has been doing back passes long before Zlatan thought of them.
Daniel

Ronaldinho really was an amazing player. Absolutely better than Zlatan, and I'm a Barca fan... I think he demonstrated it here, because he did his (ronaldinho) back pass with a defender right on him, whereas zlatan had space. People should actually watch the whole 3rd video, because ronnie does some crazy moves in there besides the back pass. And to "Mustafa's" second post, it was Giuly, not Iniesta, who was a great player back in 2006 when Barca won the champions league (I think that's the year of the video shown here as well).
Mustafa

Oh, and that second ronaldinho one which led to iniesta's goal was simply amazing... much better than zlatan's
Mustafa

I've done plenty of back passes in my life... except they were all of the Kevin Davies inadvertent variety
laurie

So I'm watching the video and thinking, "But...but...I don't see a backpass!" Then I realized it was a BACK pass.

I need more caffeine.
Steve S., Alberta, Canada

Bloody amazing. Most players have less control with their chest.
Daryl

From now on, I'm going to assume that all of Ronaldinho's moves are just poor re-enactments of Kevin Davies accidents.
ethandeanrichards

And you might like to know that Ronaldinho stole the move from Kevin Davies, who just slipped.
Daryl

You are of course correct Ade C., it was Pedro. Post has been edited accordingly. You're correct too cap123, seems Ronadlinho was doing this as early as 2005. Have added vid of two Ronaldinho back-passes.
cap123

ronaldinho already did this once?
Ade C.

It's Pedrito who crosses the ball for Zlatan to do his thing, not Bojan, who didn't get to play in this match.
And if Zlatan does indeed have eyes on the back of his head, how come he's always offside?