Zlatan Ibrahimović is never one to miss an opportunity to make a statement, on or off the football pitch. With a career marked by audacious goals and even bolder remarks, he’s as famous for his confidence as he is for his skill. So it’s no wonder then, that even in retirement, Zlatan has said which Olympic sport he believes he’d dominate.
Even after his retirement, the characteristic bravado of one of football’s favourite icons is seemingly boundless. Zlatan Ibrahimović, a striker who was known for his typically larger-than-life personality, continues to make the headlines even without kicking a ball for over a year.
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Zlatan Ibrahimović misses the roar of the crowd
The former Manchester United, Milan and Barcelona striker has since taken over as a senior adviser to the club’s ownership and management at Milan — a fitting position for someone of Ibrahimović’s experience and stature.
But, naturally, it can be a hard transition to a non-playing position – something that Zlatan knows all too well, revealing in a recent interview that he misses the sensation of playing in front of 80,000 people, bouncing, crying and screaming his name.
It’s clear that Zlatan is still pining for competition and with the world’s biggest sports event taking place in the former French capital he once called home, it’s the perfect moment for him to showcase his ever-present confidence.
Zlatan Ibrahimović at the Olympics?
“I would be the best in every ball sport,” Zlatan told The Athletic. ”Martial arts — I could challenge. I used to do taekwondo. With my feet, I’m fast, I move well. I had the advantage of being 1.97m tall, but moved like a guy of 1.60m. That’s why I was a freak of nature.”
“This is not me trying to impress you. These are true facts. But I like the adrenaline of taekwondo. I like duels. I need to feel alive. That is the only thing I miss with football. It is not actually playing football. I just miss sometimes feeling… alive.”
Ibrahimović was a force to be reckoned with in the penalty area, or for that matter, anywhere on the pitch, to be fair (Cc. Joe Hart). Stepping onto the taekwondo mat, however, would present a new challenge – a different arena where his agility, strength, and competitive spirit would undoubtedly come into play. My money’s on the big man.