Ibra: "My role doesn't matter, the important thing is Milan. I want to protect the team and the club"

Zlatan Ibrahimovic's first thought in Riyadh: "When we return, we will bring the trophy to Casa Milan. We will take a photo with everyone. Because everyone has the right to see this trophy, not just the players."

Long, detailed and wide-ranging interview outside the box with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, by GQ Italia : "As on the pitch, here too teamwork is the most important thing of all", Ibra's words . "That's what I told Gerry Cardinale when I agreed to work with him. I told him clearly: “It's not a one-man show anymore. I'm not coming here to save anyone. If you think that's the case, let's drop it right away . I'm not here to save the situation. I'm here to learn from others and help them do their best. Learn. Help. Teamwork".

Even so, Zlatan Ibrahimovic ended up among dozens of men in ties fresh from MBA, in a photo that went viral. Ibra himself finds it absurd. "I told Gerry, I'm probably the only person on that site who didn't go to Harvard. In fact: I come from the streets. He started laughing. He says he wants me for that too."

"It was all thanks to Gerry. When I stopped playing I was 42. I said to myself: Listen, you have to be realistic. You have to accept that you are no longer the same as before . The biggest problem, the real problem that every footballer has, is precisely this: accepting reality and putting the ego aside . Understanding that you are past your expiration date. I did it. I accepted it. And that's how I found my peace. Since then I've been calm. And that was the hardest part."

Zlatan again: "I try to maintain balance, not to become stressed. Because in this job, at Casa Milan, you don't realize you're stressed... until you hit a wall. And when that happens, it could be too late. That's why I try to balance everything. For example, I don't have an office. They wanted to give me one, but I chose not to. A desk is not proof of effectiveness. For me it's putting all my effort into doing what's necessary . Stop. Whether it's here at Casa Milan or at Milanello".

"Do you know how we won the last Scudetto, when I was playing? With the mentality. Because with the right motivation, with the right mentality, an athlete is capable of anything. We weren't the strongest team, but we won because we were mentally stronger. That's what I try to bring, always. It's different, obviously, at Milanello and at Casa Milan, because when I see a player, I know what to do to motivate him, I know who I have to hug, I know who I have to smile at, I know who I have to look askance at, I know who I have to raise my voice with . I know that locker room very well. With the business part, it's more subtle. The thing I care about most is the idea of ​​uniting these two worlds, because there is not the team over there, at Milanello, and the club, here, at Casa Milan. There is only one thing, there is only Milan. And I want to unite these worlds. That's how we work. A new player arrives? He comes with me. They tell me: Ibrahimovic, it would be nice if Walker visited Casa Milan . I I reply: Don't worry, he'll visit every floor, and he'll say hello to everyone. He will . And he did. It was incredible. So he sees the whole system: the business, the commercial, the team, the staff. All together."

On all other topics: "As a footballer you are always in a tracksuit, in sportswear, whatever you want. I promised the team at the beginning: you will never see me in a jacket and tie. And instead everything changed quickly. Do I like wearing a suit? No. I admit it. I don't feel comfortable. I am an athlete, a sportsman. But every time I want to dress the way I want, Helena looks at me and says: 'Today you have to wear a suit'. I answer: 'Why?'. And she says: 'Because you have a press conference. So put on a tie and shut up. Let's go'. But I understand it too: today I don't dress to represent who I am. I dress for the role I have: today I represent Milan, I represent RedBird".

On returning to Milan as a manager : "I wasn't even looking for something to do. No challenge, nothing. I said to myself: 'Take your time. Watch what happens. Slow down. Get used to the new life'. And after three months I came to visit the guys here at Milan. I spoke to Furlani, the CEO. He liked our chat and said to me: 'You should meet Gerry Cardinale'. So I met him. We talked. He wanted to know more about me, what I want, who I am. Get to know me better. Then he said to me: 'I want you to be in RedBird. Not in Milan. In RedBird. I want you to work with Milan. Bring your experience. Learn the other side of football, the one you don't see on the pitch. The finances, the numbers, how everything works'”.

Zlatan and the new challenges : "I'm someone who loves big challenges. When I do something, it has to be something huge. Otherwise I don't feel the adrenaline, the pressure. And I need the pressure. I don't like normal things. At first I said no, I'm not interested. Also because when my agent Mino Raiola passed away, a couple of years ago, I had the opportunity to join his company, become an agent. I thought about it. And I was clear with Gerry: I said, listen, I have this opportunity, and I also have the one you're offering me, but in reality... I don't want either of them. Because my life at that time was beautiful like this. I didn't depend on anyone. No schedule to follow. No seven o'clock alarm clock. The only plan I had were my two ninjas, my two boys, and Helena. And then obviously life at home, training. And then, what happened? It was Gerry, like I told you. He pushes. He pushes hard. Now I understand why he's successful: he never gives up. He's the real Wolf of Wall Street. He always gets what he wants. In the end, he gave me an opportunity that I couldn't say no to. And then my wife also said to me: 'If I know you well, I know that after a while you'll get bored. You need a challenge. Go, do what you have to do and be yourself.' And she knows me well. And no, it's not about money. Because I'm not paid by Milan, you understand? I'm not an employee of Milan. I work for RedBird. But my responsibility is clear: to take AC Milan where it belongs. To win."

On the boss's phrase : "I made a joke, one of those classic ones, from Ibra, right? But it always depends on who you're joking with. Talking to you, maybe I wouldn't say it. But there were former players there, so I said: 'I'm the boss, and everyone works for me'. The first time I said it in an interview in English, but adding that it was a joke. Because then I also clarified my role as advisor, representative of the ownership, all the rest. But obviously, when I was a player, a joke like that was taken in a certain way. Now? Everyone interprets it as they want. There are those who say: 'Zlatan is arrogant'. And then everything is elaborated and amplified. Being careful about what I say is part of the change of role. Before I was a player, I represented myself. Now I represent something much bigger. I represent RedBird. And I talk to Gerry every day. Because so many people say: 'Cardinale is the owner, but he's not always here'. Gerry has many other things to which think, right? He often says: 'This is not my everyday job'. But he cares, and a lot. He is very attached to Milan, he wants to be successful, Milan is absolutely central to RedBird's plans. He wants to bring Milan back where it deserves to be. In his own way, with his vision, his ambition. And we are following that path. He has put the right people in charge of Milan. And he gives you the responsibility, but in exchange he wants one simple thing: results".

On Milan as a work environment : "New situations always happen here. I'm not used to everything yet, so I observe, learn, gain experience. I have my say when it's necessary, but if I don't feel confident, I don't tell others what to do in their field. If it's not my area, I trust the person in front of me. He has to make the right decision. But one thing is clear: I expect results. Everything we do must bring results. We are not a charity foundation. We are a football club. And in football, results count. Because I always say: 'Milan doesn't play to win a match. They don't play to win trophies. Milan writes history'".

The Youth Sector and Milan Futuro : "We bring a new culture, in our own way. Like the idea of ​​creating Milan Futuro, which is very important to us. For me, the Academy is fundamental. Without the base, there is no summit. The summit, the first team, is incredible, because it is the heart. But it is the base that holds the heart. It is the blood. The blood that circulates and makes the heart work. Milan must have a great Academy. And that is how ideas bounce, we discuss, we try new things. We are also much younger managers than the average in Italy, and I assure you that when you see us next to other teams, you notice it. Our approach is to do things our way. And it's not that I command and the others follow, no. We talk, we discuss. We are here to build something new. Without fear. This is the real answer, if you ask me what my role is. I'll give you another example. For the first time, I brought the whole team to San Siro. They had to say hello to the whole Academy, everyone. Because I want the youth team to see the first team. And I want the first team to see who they are representing. Who they play for, who they are an example to. It's a question of mentality. And for the kids? Wow. People went crazy. Before, one, maximum two players would go to say hello. Now? Everyone."

On Milan : "In the end, my role doesn't matter. What matters is Milan. We want Milan to be successful. Everything we do here, we do for Milan. There is no ego, at least for me. I said, it's not a one-man show. I prefer to stay in the shadows, I don't even want to take any credit. Believe me, I told the guys: 'I don't even want to be in the photos or videos'. Then I understood that they have to exploit certain dynamics, and I respect that. But trust me: if it were up to me, you wouldn't see me. I would just work. Work, work, work. Milan is the star. Not me. I'm here today, I'm here tomorrow, okay. But the day after tomorrow? Maybe I'm no longer here. Milan, on the other hand, continues to exist. And I do it for Milan, not for myself. Milan gave me happiness the first time. And it gave me happiness the second time too. But I don't do it for personal interest. I don't need this. I'm famous, I don't need money, and I don't you don't even need followers. I do it for Milan, and because I want to learn new things. When I played, everything revolved around me. Today I'm the bodyguard: if they have to shoot someone, let them shoot me. I want to protect the team and the club. I'm not afraid of it, because I shoot back twice. So I can be the target. I spent ten years of war. And if you live through a war in the Balkans, it's not that they call you to tell you how it's going. You're the one waiting for the call, to know what's happening. To know if your family is okay. Every day someone calls you crying, and you don't know if they'll still be alive tomorrow. And you can't do anything. If someone has spent ten years like this, they're not afraid of anyone. Because that's something else. That's the real fear. And when the media talk about me? It doesn't affect me. For 25 years as a footballer they attacked me every day. Why? Because I was the best. Whether they talk well or badly, if they talk about you it means you're on top of the world. And here it's the same: everyone always talks about Milan. Why? Because we are the greatest."

On RedBird's Milan : "Milan is the most famous club in Italy. We represent Italian football in the world. DNA, mentality, pedigree. The numbers speak for themselves. Everyone talks about us. And if they talk about us, it means we are doing something great. A new mentality. Our management is young, international. People with different visions, different ambitions: there is hunger. And this is incredible. We are not afraid. This is our strength. We do what we believe in, without fear, without limits, we do things our own way. We do not look at others. We move forward, always. Whatever wall we find in front of us? We break it down. And trust me: we are rock and roll. Always aiming for results. We are the new school".