Schelotto on Ibrahimovic getting LA Galaxy armband: "He had to be captain"

When the LA Galaxy faced the Colorado Rapids on Saturday in the club's final preseason tuneup before the games start counting, Zlatan Ibrahimovic was given the armband by head coach Guillermo Barros Schelotto. 

The Galaxy fell to the Rapids 3-1 as Ibrahimovic found the back of the net. After the game, Schelotto indicated why he gave Ibrahimovic the armband.

“I think he’s experienced, he’s a leader. He had to be the captain for the team," Schelotto told media. "It’s very important for everyone here. I hope he has a good season, because it will be very good for us, for every player, for the coaches. We hope to get good play not just from [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic; I think everyone has to have a good season, because it’s our work. We are working for that.”

Ibrahimovic returns for a second season after a fantastic debut campaign marked by 22 goals and 10 assists in just 27 appearances (2,143 minutes), en route to picking up the 2018 MLS Newcomer of the Year award. He pledges to "break all the records" in MLS as his encore in 2019.