Milan Director at Trento Festival: `Capello Gave Me More Than Mou and Guardiola. My Top 3? Ronaldo, Maradona, Messi. But I Keep Myself Out`
A vast crowd gathered at the Trento Sports Festival to hear Zlatan Ibrahimovic speak. The AC Milan director promptly corrected the presenter regarding the number of championships he`d won, clarifying it was 14, not 12. Ibrahimovic then delved into his current role at Milan, where he focuses on helping the team improve, alongside maintaining his fitness through training and engaging in personal projects. While acknowledging that the adrenaline of playing football is unique, he underscored his continued high level of activity, spending 80% of his time in Italy.
He also spoke about his sons, who are now part of Milan’s youth academy. Zlatan admitted he advised them against a football career, but they chose their own path and use their mother`s surname to avoid the pressure of his famous name. He shared a humorous anecdote about his long-term partner, revealing she had declined his marriage proposal despite their 25 years together. In his Swedish home, a picture of his feet hangs as a reminder that their comfortable life is a direct result of his illustrious career.
“Ibra has no doubts about Leao: `He won the Scudetto alone. He`s a phenomenon because…`”
The Current State of AC Milan
Ibrahimovic expressed strong optimism about AC Milan`s current performance: “We are doing well. Allegri arrived, a winning coach. He brought experience, balance, stability. The club has done a great job to build a competitive squad.” He dismissed criticisms about the team`s playing style, stating he does not see the “non-game” that some talk about, recalling past victories with Allegri and even an intense argument after a 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in London.
Praise for Leao and Modric
Regarding Portuguese winger Rafael Leao, Ibrahimovic lauded him as “one of the best in the world… sometimes he won games alone. He won that Scudetto like a phenomenon. We demand a lot from him because he has magic, and we see it every day in training.”
For Luka Modric, Zlatan`s praise was even higher: “He is a maestro, he doesn`t just play football, he *is* football. His career has been incredible. This summer, we were convinced we needed more experience: first, we chose the coach, then we discussed Modric. Ancelotti told us he was the only player who wasn`t injured all of last year. He also possesses incredible passion. If I had played with him, he would have extended my career by two years. Off the field, he brings energy and motivation to the entire environment.”
Reflecting on His Coaches
Reflecting on his legendary mentors, Ibrahimovic stated: “Guardiola and Mourinho changed football; both coached me, and I grew immensely with them. They are two very different individuals. Mou would get into your head and control you, whereas Guardiola achieved the same results on the field. However, the one who made me grow the most was Capello.” He concluded by revealing his all-time top three players, humbly excluding himself: “Ronaldo `Il Fenomeno`, Maradona, and Messi.”
