Ibrahimovic shares feelings on ‘bond’ with Milan: “The most important team in my life”
By: Oliver Fisher
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has shed light on just how much AC Milan mean to him, labelling it the ‘most important’ club he has represented.
Today marks the launch of ‘Il Milan nel Mondo’, Mauro Suma’s new book exploring the Rossoneri’s reach beyond both Milan and Italy. Several Rossoneri Legends will join the author at the launch this morning, including Daniele Massaro, Demetrio Albertini and Filippo Galli.
‘Milan was something different’
Ibrahimovic wrote a foreword in the book, which has been relayed by MilanNews. The RedBird Capital senior advisor spoke about just how much the club means to him, after his two spells as a player and now his time as an executive.
“Milan are the most important team in my life. And it’s also the only one that convinced me to return. In my career, I’ve worn legendary shirts, played in wonderful cities, and won everywhere. But Milan was something different,” he said.
“It was the only club that truly drew me back, the only one where I felt the need to start over. Convincing Zlatan to return isn’t easy. It’s not easy for anyone. Yet, with Milan, it’s happened more than once.
“This means that between me and these colours, a bond has been created that goes beyond football, beyond trophies, even beyond time. Victory remains in the halls of fame; some teams, however, stay with you. AC Milan belongs to this category.
“The first time, AC Milan brought me happiness, the second, love. In the Rossoneri, I found a sense of belonging that is increasingly rare in modern football. Because starting an adventure with a club can happen. Returning a second time, and then again, means that the club and its fans have become part of you.
“AC Milan are the most successful Italian club at international level, but it’s not just a collection of trophies. It’s an identity. It’s a way of being in football and in the world. Wherever it goes, it leaves a mark. And those who join AC Milan, sometimes, never leave.”
Ibrahimovic signed the first time in August 2010 after an experience at Barcelona that wasn’t a positive one, and he helped Milan to the Scudetto with a 14-goal haul. He won the Capocannoniere the next season, doubling that tally.
He returned in 2019 and scored 25 goals in 37 appearances in his first two campaigns, securing a return to European competitions. At the end of his third season, the climb was complete: the Rossoneri won their 19th league title.
Then, in June 2023 came his emotional farewell at San Siro, before Zlatan returned to the club but wearing a suit and tie.
