Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the AC Milan advisor, and ex striker who played in several top European clubs, such as the Rossoneri, Paris Saint-Germain, FC Barcelona, Juventus, Inter and Manchester United, has spoken to Sports Illustrated recently.
He discussed several topics, including the desire to play for Bayern Munich.
On whether young players today are less obedient and willing to take advice from older players:
"If you go back ten years, people probably said the same thing: 'The new generation doesn’t listen to the old generation.' And if you look back 20 years, it would have been the same. Young players should have exactly this self-confidence and mentality to carve out their own path. You can’t take away their character, ambition, and vision. They need the freedom to express themselves and do their thing. Of course, they should also learn, and that’s where I see my role: guiding them on their journey with my experience as a leader."
On whether he still sees no future as a coach, Ibrahimovic commented:
"Currently: yes. I still don’t want to be a coach because it’s too much work for me. You have to cover so many areas, come up with ideas and solutions, prepare and analyze games, and coach. You’re working day and night. One year as a coach would feel like ten years to me. So, it’s not something that appeals to me."
On the development of football and the debated loss of entertainment in the sport due to tactics, Ibrahimovic replied:
"That has less to do with football itself and more with the coaches. Many coaches come with a philosophy and style of play, and then the individual player becomes irrelevant because everyone is forced into a tactic or system. Of course, a coach’s philosophy is important, and you need one to manage the team. But I believe the individual player is the most significant part of a team. They’re the ones who step onto the field and make the difference. And overall, I don’t think football is becoming boring. On the contrary, I feel it’s continuing to grow. You just have to be smart and stay open to new developments."
On comparisons with Erling Haaland and whether any player could follow in Ibrahimović’s footsteps:
"Maybe it’s the ponytail (laughs). I don’t like comparing players because everyone is on their own journey, writing their own story. I had my era, and I played my way. He has his era now and plays his way. So, there can’t be a ‘new Zlatan.’ I did my thing, but I’m past my expiration date now. Erling Haaland is a fantastic player and is doing an amazing job."
On a possible move to Germany during his career:
"Football in Germany is outstanding. I love the stadiums there because they’re always sold out. Playing for a club like Bayern Munich wouldn’t have been bad, simply because of the history and the players the club has. For me, Bayern is one of the five biggest clubs in the world. I admire German football and the national team a lot. (...) They wouldn’t have been able to afford me (laughs). But no, to be honest, there was never an opportunity to move there. It would certainly have been nice — but fate had other plans for me."
