During the first episode of "This is me," broadcast on Canale 5, RedBird Senior Advisor Zlatan Ibrahimovic spoke about family, Milan, and his last day as a footballer.
What emotions did you feel on the day of your farewell?
"It was a very special day because the day before they explained the program to me, but I said, 'I don’t want to know anything,' I wanted the emotions to come out naturally. It wasn’t easy. Before deciding to retire, I was afraid because I had always played football, but I accepted it. I’m lucky with Milan fans because they welcomed me the first time with happiness, then with love. The last Scudetto we won was the most satisfying. Then my former teammates made it difficult for me too, I hoped to find strength from them but they started crying. Then I tried to find strength from my wife, who was also crying. Then the fans, who were crying too, so everything came out from the heart."
Will you always be a Milanista? Ibrahimovic replied:
"Forever. Because what Milan gave me I will never forget. They gave me happiness. The second time it was only love, it wasn’t about having but about giving. I played with players twenty years younger than me. I miss the adrenaline on the field, but once you’ve accepted it, you try to find other adrenaline, though it will never be the same."
What do you say to those who say you have a tough personality?
"If you know me, I have the biggest heart of all, and it’s hard to get in."
What do you teach your children? Ibrahimovic said:
"They live a different life from others because their dad is known. He was a strong player, if not the strongest one (laughs). But I’m trying to separate the professional Ibra from the father. Life is easier, simpler, because they can do more than what I did. What I teach them is discipline, respect, and independence. If they succeed in that, it means I’ve done a good job as a father."
What have you learned from life?
"To get somewhere, you have to work. Nothing is free in life, and if you work, things will come."
