In the wake of AC Milan’s recent defeat against Atalanta, Zlatan Ibrahimovic shared his thoughts on his relationship with young players and explained the importance of his role, which involves close interaction with the club’s youth sector. The Swedish icon offered insights into generational dynamics, his approach to mentoring, and his stance on coaching in an interview with Sports Illustrated.
Addressing the perception of generational gaps, Ibrahimovic remarked, “If you go back ten years, people probably said the same thing: ‘The new generation doesn’t listen to the old generation.’ And if you look back 20 years, it would have been the same.” He emphasized the importance of allowing young players to develop their own path: “Young players should have exactly this self-confidence and mentality to carve out their own path. You can’t take away their character, ambition, and vision. They need the freedom to express themselves and do their thing.”
Ibrahimovic sees his role as a guide for these emerging talents. “Of course, they should also learn, and that’s where I see my role: guiding them on their journey with my experience as a leader,” he explained.
When asked about his future in coaching, Ibrahimovic reaffirmed his current stance: “Currently, yes. I don’t want to be a coach because it’s too much work for me. You have to cover many areas, come up with ideas and solutions, prepare and follow matches, and train. You work day and night. One year as a coach would feel like ten years to me. So it doesn’t appeal to me.”
He further elaborated on his philosophy regarding player development and coaching styles: “Many coaches have a philosophy and style of play, and then the individual player becomes insignificant because everyone is forced to adopt a tactic or system as a single part. Of course, a coach’s philosophy is important and serves to manage the team. But I believe that the individual player is the most important thing in the team. Because he goes on the field and makes the difference.”
Ibrahimovic concluded with an optimistic view on the evolution of football: “And in general, I don’t think football is becoming boring. Rather, I feel it continues to grow. You just have to be smart and not close yourself off to new developments.”
