There are figures in football who transcend the simple role they hold. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of them. He was as a player, and inevitably he still is today, as executive-consultant-image man (and whatever else you want to call him) for the RedBird-branded Milan.
Modern football culture around Milan extends far beyond the stadium itself. Fans follow matches through live statistics, fantasy leagues, social media updates and mobile betting platforms, with services like pari match download becoming part of the wider match-day experience for supporters who want quick access to odds, live betting and football coverage on mobile devices.
The problem, however, arises when charisma and personality overshadow the club’s corporate structure and the club itself. When the individual becomes more imposing than the organisation. And that is exactly what Milan risked (and experienced) throughout 2024, and is at risk of experiencing again now.
Because for long stretches, the feeling has been that of watching a real “one-man show” once more, with Zlatan front and centre, Zlatan explaining Milan, Zlatan representing the club in an almost all-encompassing way. That “boss” he once described himself as, in other words. A powerful image, hugely effective in the media, but one that over time ended up generating more doubts than certainties.
The Fonseca mistake and the boss' press conferences:
The summer of 2024 had already provided fairly clear signs. The presentation of Paulo Fonseca was accompanied by a long press conference in which Ibrahimovic completely took over the stage, outlining the technical project almost as a lone man in command, even rejecting the possibility of a free Antonio Conte (déjà vu?), who then went on to win the league ahead of an eighth-placed Milan. Then came the interviews, the references to his central role, the remarks about being "the boss" of the sporting department. Statements that may have been intended to convey leadership, but which inevitably ended up concentrating everything around his figure.
And historically, Milan has never been built around one single person. Not even during its most glorious eras. Modern football requires distributed expertise, clear hierarchies, but above all executives who are qualified and experienced in doing that job. Because being Zlatan Ibrahimovic on the pitch is one thing. Being Zlatan Ibrahimovic behind a desk is another. Especially when guiding a complex club like Milan.
The shipwreck of Zlatan Ibrahimovic the executive:
Because it is no coincidence that in your first season as an executive, you finish eighth in the table, lose a Coppa Italia final against a team you had beaten just a week earlier, and go through two managers. Of course, there was the interruption of the Supercoppa win, but perhaps that was simply too little. If after three months you find yourself backtracking and dismissing the manager you personally chose and publicly promoted… no, that is not a good start. In fact, perhaps it could be a good ending.
A grotesque dismissal, with the manager himself announcing it from his car to journalists’ microphones outside San Siro. An episode that gave the impression of a poorly coordinated club, almost improvised in the handling of an extremely delicate moment. The arrival of Conceição, as mentioned, managed to calm things somewhat by winning the Supercoppa, again, a nice interruption, but perhaps too little, far too little if shortly afterwards you crash out of the Champions League in a favourable tie and the project collapses amid inconsistent results, internal tensions, and a team incapable of finding continuity. And this is where the Ibrahimovic issue inevitably becomes central again.
Milan need executives, not protagonists:
No one questions Ibrahimovic’s importance within the Milan world. That would simply be madness. Zlatan remains a Rossoneri legend, a modern symbol of the club, and probably one of the few capable of transmitting a winning mentality inside the dressing room. Or at least, that was the case as a player. But then comes the aftermath. The desk job. Becoming an executive. Which is an entirely different thing. Managing balances, protecting the environment, building a credible structure, and above all ensuring that the club comes before individual personalities. All things that stand at the opposite end of the spectrum from the Zlatan Ibrahimovic we know. All things that are reflected on the pitch. Then, as perhaps even now.
Milan must return to having a strong structure: is Ibrahimovic really the right man?
The disaster created on Sunday left consequences that Cardinale decided to sweep away by sending everyone home. From Allegri to Furlani, via Tare and Moncada. Several players will leave as well, without doubt, writes Milan Press. The one who remains firmly in place, after a year spent in the shadows, is precisely Zlatan Ibrahimovic. And the risk of returning to where things were two years ago could be very real. The point is not to push Ibrahimovic away. The point is understanding how to use him properly.
Because Milan need his weight, his hunger. But the club cannot afford to relive those “one-man show” vibes that in 2024 led to one of the most chaotic seasons in recent years. They need professional executives. People accustomed to building quietly, managing crises, planning without personalising every decision. The best Milan sides in history have always been those built around complementary great figures, not all-consuming ones. Berlusconi, Galliani, Braida, and a manager. Just to give one example. And perhaps the most important lesson of recent months is precisely this: to reread those names and remember that the club comes before the personality. Even when that personality is called Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
