Ibrahimovic and Speed Stage Strange World Cup Studio Clash

A peculiar scene unfolded late Friday night, before the United States match against Paraguay, when Zlatan Ibrahimovic and internet personality Speed appeared to have a brief on-air confrontation. The episode took place during the build-up to the World Cup broadcast and was shared on Speed’s own platforms, raising doubts about whether it was genuine or staged.

Ibrahimovic is currently serving as a Fox analyst for the tournament, as Fox holds the World Cup broadcast rights in the United States. He was preparing for the pregame studio show with Thierry Henry when Speed suddenly approached with his own camera.

Ibrahimovic asked Speed which team he thought would win the World Cup. Speed replied that Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo would lift the trophy. Henry looked puzzled, and Ibrahimovic then knocked the microphone from Speed’s hands and motioned for him to leave. Speed responded theatrically, calling Ibrahimovic a “hater” and saying, “You will see he will win,” before storming off.

The clip looked somewhat staged, since it appeared on Speed’s channels and Ibrahimovic was smiling afterward. Still, it is the kind of odd World Cup moment likely to keep circulating online in the coming days.