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Zlatan Ibrahimovic has given another long interview about all aspects of life at AC Milan, from his role to the players currently in the squad.
Ibrahimovic retired as a Milan player, but his retirement was short-lived as he ended up coming back to the club just a few months later to become a Senior Advisor to the owners RedBird Capital. Mystery still surrounds his day-to-day tasks, but it feels like he has a big say in matters.
This can be seen through the reports stating that he helped convince Christopher Nkunku and Ardon Jashari to join in the summer. After a bit of an absence from the media spotlight, he has returned to commenting on matters to do with the Rossoneri.
After speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport earlier in the week, Ibrahimovic was on stage at the Festival dello Sport in Trento to answer questions about a wide range of topics. MilanNews transcribed his words.
What does Ibrahimovic do in life today?
“Today I’m a representative for RedBird, the fund that owns Milan. I try to help everyone do better. I also train constantly and have other projects. After retiring from football, I always have to do something to feel alive, even if the adrenaline rush I had when I was a player isn’t there anymore.”
Your rest period was short-lived…
“It only lasted three months. Then they moved into this new role. After a year I cut my hair, in a year I’ll be bald (laughs).”
What’s your daily routine like now? Do you spend more time in Italy than in Sweden?
“I’m in Italy 80% of the time. Every day I get up, train, and then go to Milanello or Casa Milan. Then I travel a lot; they want to discover the world that Cardinale opened up to me. I want to have new experiences to grow.”
You don’t have an office at Casa Milan. Why?
“Because I want to be more open. If I have an appointment, I go to the person I need to see.”
You asked for three things before saying yes to Milan…
“Cardinale convinced me after five or six meetings. I asked for three things: a long-term project, and to win because I always want to win. The third thing was that I wanted to always be myself.”
How are you with your children who both play?
“I don’t get involved with coaches. I give advice to my children; it’s not easy for them to have a father like me. They’re already judged because of me. The first advice I gave them was not to play football, but that didn’t go well.
“Then I told them to use my wife’s last name, but they know them anyway. They have to earn what comes their way, they have to earn everything they do, and not just because their name is Ibrahimovic.”
Are you not married?
“No. I asked my partner, but she said no. She’s the only one who says no. We’re good together, we’ve been together for many years, and every day that passes we’re closer.”
What can you tell us about the current Milan?
“We’re doing well. Allegri arrived, he’s a winning coach, he’s brought his experience, balance, and stability. The club has built a competitive team. Now we’re taking it one step at a time, all united to put Max in the best position to perform well.”
Allegri is often criticised for his style…
“Milan must win. As long as we win, these criticisms fade away. When you don’t win, however, they come closer. Everyone judges you on your results. This Milan is playing well, it’s a good mix, there’s a lot of talent. It’s not true that they play badly.”
Did you ever argue with Allegri?
“Many times. Many remember what happened in London against Arsenal after we won 4-0 at home and lost 3-0 in the return match. When I lose, I’m not happy. I don’t remember if he was joking. I told him he’d brought two goalkeepers to the bench, and he replied that I’d played badly.
“And that’s where it all started. With two winners, these things happen, they’re normal. Certain things shouldn’t make the papers. For people, they might seem abnormal, but for us they are. Especially for me.”
What happened after Juve?
“After the Juventus game, I was in the dressing room with the entire management, the team, and the coach. They were all angry because it was a winnable match. No one steps into Allegri’s area of responsibility.
“Max was angry, as were we all. After the game, everyone is full of adrenaline; they don’t give you the same answer the next day. You have to be careful when you talk after the game. Some are disappointed, some are angry, everyone needs their space. I can say that everyone was angry.”
What is Leao missing?
“We’re talking about Leao because he’s great, otherwise we wouldn’t be talking about him. When we won the Scudetto, for me Leao won it all by himself, he was a real phenomenon. We expect a lot from him because he’s one of the best in the world.”
Modric is also a phenomenon. At 40, he’s astonishing everyone…
“He’s a master. When he steps on the pitch, he is football, he doesn’t play football. He’s had an incredible career. At the end of last season, we said we needed more experience. We hired the coach first, then Modric.
“Ancelotti told us he was the only Real Madrid player who had never been injured. He has an incredible mentality. His celebration after Milan-Napoli says it all. It’s passion, identity, he’s a master. If he had been there when I was playing, I would have extended my career by a couple of years.
“We’re very happy with Luka, and not just for what he does on the pitch. Having someone like Modric around you makes you do more. If he runs on the pitch, the others see him and then run twice as hard.”
Is winning the Scudetto with Pioli one of your greatest achievements?
“There are teams with more young players, like PSG, others like ours that are a mix of experienced players and young talents. Before I returned to Milan in 2020, it was a youth project. They brought me in because they lacked experienced players.
“They thought of me, but in reality, I was the one who thought of Milan. I met Pioli and, as I told Modric, he told me I had to lead the team. I was a leader on and off the pitch; my attitude may seem mean, but for me it’s normal.
“When things weren’t going well, I went in front of the cameras. If I could have played with Modric, it would have been a great thing.”
Who gets you out of your set now?
“Watching football all the time tires you out, but if there were special matches like derbies in Spain or England, I’d watch them. Football today lacks champions. Football is more of a team than an individual thing.”
Who was most important to you as a coach?
“I always say Capello. He’s the one who made me take the step from great player to champion. From there, a new journey began for me. Capello was a coach who lifts you up and then brings you back down to earth.
“It was his way of working with me, not with everyone. He got into the heads of all the players and made them follow him. Capello transformed me from an ordinary player to an animal.”
What do you think of Camarda?
“I care a lot about Camarda. I took a photo with him when he was a kid, I didn’t know who he was. I went to Vismare to give the boys some motivation. It was 2019, but I saw his message a year ago. Not out of arrogance, but because I’m not very active on social media.
“He tagged me once, and then I saw it. We were playing together, and I told him he could tell me he’d sent me a message. I waited for his first goal in Serie A to post that message. I hoped he’d do it with Milan.
“He’s on loan now, he’ll be back next year, he has to make his own way. I’m happy for him, very happy. Italian football is missing a No.9 like him.”
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