With an illustrious football career spanning 24 years, 41-year-old Zlatan Ibrahimovic has announced that he’ll retire after completing this season with AC Milan.
He is talented on the pitch, but it’s his unapologetic arrogance confidence that’s made him a media magnet.
Join us as we reminisce with a compilation of his most memorable quotes.
“One thing is for sure, a World Cup without me is nothing to watch”
– When his country, Sweden, was knocked out of the play-offs for the 2014 WorldCup.
“What do you mean, present? She got Zlatan.”
– When asked what he’d get his girlfriend for her engagement gift.
And there was this famous exchange with a reporter ahead of the 2014 World Cup qualifying playoffs:
Zlatan: “Only God knows who will go through.”
Reporter: “It’s hard to ask him.”
Zlatan: “You’re talking to him.”
“We’re looking for an apartment. If we don’t find anything, then I’ll probably just buy a hotel.”
– When he moved to Paris, where finding a new home was difficult.
Arsene Wenger asked me to have a trial with Arsenal when I was 17. I turned him down. Zlatan doesn’t do auditions.”
– Zlatan said this in an interview when quizzed about interests from big clubs during the early years of his career.
“Lions. They don’t compare themselves with humans.”
– When asked if he thought the other strikers in the league were better than him.
“It’s true I don’t know that much about Ligue 1, but Ligue 1 knows who I am.”
– On his move to PSG in 2012.
“I haven’t met her yet. But when I do, I’ll date her.”
– His response when asked to name the world’s most beautiful woman.
“I won’t be the King of Manchester. I will be the God of Manchester.”
– His response to Eric Cantona’s comments that he would be the “prince of Manchester”.
“I can’t help but laugh at how perfect I am.”
– Zlatan bragging about his ability upon joining Manchester United in 2016.
“I think I’m like wine. The older I get, the better I get.”
– Zlatan referencing his age when asked about his good start to the season after joining Manchester United in 2016. He was 34 at the time.
“I didn’t injure you on purpose, and you know that. If you accuse me again, I’ll break both your legs, and that time it will be on purpose.”
– He didn’t appreciate Rafael van der Vaart’s accusation that he purposely injured him during a match between Sweden (Zlatan’s team) and Netherlands (Rafael’s team) in 2004.
