“Do I think about quitting? I don’t think so. Do I have to keep playing? I think so.” Word of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, striker of Milan, who at 41 years old does not want to hang up his boots yet. The Swede spoke in an interview given to La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“I'm fine at Milan, Milan is my home. I don't know anything about my contract, last year I told Paolo: you do it – said Ibra -. And I got a piece of paper to sign. I don't know what's inside, maybe there's another year. It's enough for me to know that I'm a Milan player and then I know what I have to do. The rest doesn't matter to me. I only care about getting back on the pitch, otherwise the joy diminishes. It's like someone going to work and not having an office. I haven't had an office for two years. I still have the desire, but I need balance."
“I'm fine. I worked hard, I pushed hard, not only this year but also last year. But when I was knocked out, the team needed – continued the Swedish striker – And when you've done something all your life, when you know what you have to do but you can't do it, then... you continue, because you can't find peace, I can't find peace. I haven't found the balance. When everything arrives, bam, immediately nothing arrives".
Ibrahimovic: “I won’t stop. Monza? I hear from Galliani every day…”
“This thought is going around in my head. My head is too strong, I feel like Superman every time I come back, but I have to have balance. I've pushed so hard and nothing has come back so far. Because if you get a little back you give even more, otherwise come on come on come on, in the end you're empty. I'm not one to give up. But there also has to be joy in what you do, I can't help but have peace in what I know how to do as No. 1, playing football. But we're not there yet. I think I still have a lot to give”, he added.
It's no mystery that he knocked on Zlatan's door Adrian Galliani to convince him to marry the project of the Monza. “He’s been calling me every day for three years and he always tells me that Monza is beautiful, that there’s a beautiful nature, that the contract is already on the table. But we’re not there: I’m a Milan player and I’m proud of it. At a certain age there’s no ego anymore, you don’t need to prove it. It’s like Laureus, you do it to give, not to receive. I’m here to help Milan, not like now. I want to be on the pitch, there I can help much more”, he added Ibrahimovic then dwelling on the elimination of the Rossoneri from the Champions League.
“Leao is there, ups and downs as happens to all players. You have to find the maximum level and stability to bring results. And everyone will find it, over time. This year too many ups and downs. But this year we play like champions and everyone wants to beat Milan, this is the first time this team has played like champions (the team, not the club). And it's the second year in the Champions League: reaching the semi-finals is a big step for us. What's missing? Time to get where we want to get - He admitted -. Inter is the strongest in Italy, on paper. They have much more experience and players who were more ready than Milan. Which is not an excuse, there are no excuses. Because then when you put 11 against 11 on the field, you play from there. And they did better than us”.
Article published on 2 June 2023 - 12:40
