Zlatan Ibrahimović – The Mindset of a Lion

He's an entertainer, an artist, the star of a one-man show, calls himself a lion, sometimes he calls himself the goat. Well, now the biggest ego in world sport meets... I am Zlatan. I am a lion. Last time I came second, I don't even remember that. I'm like the wine. The older I get, the better I get. A World Cup without me wouldn't be a World Cup. Lions, they don't compare themselves with humans. Whatever comes after the first one is a failure. You said right now you're the best player in Major League Soccer. There's another player in Los Angeles, Carlos Vela, and this moment he's got 19 goals, 12 assists, and his team is leading Major League Soccer. Do you still consider yourself the best player in Major League Soccer? By far. Because if he's in his prime, how old is he? Carlos Vela is 29. 29. He's playing in MLS and he's in his prime. When I was 29, where was I? Yeah, you were in Europe. Big difference. Exactly. Before I came to Barcelona, always media have their input and say, they would go like, you don't fit in here, you don't fit in the culture, it's different, different, because of who I was. And my mistake was there. I tried to fit in, instead of being who I am. Because I think it's important, like I began the interview, being who you are is being perfect. Everybody thought that I'm too old, but I can, and I made the Premier League look old. I come from hard work, you get what you work for. So for me working hard, I would get, and not, I need to play, I want to play. Because it's not how I get my proof of playing. Because I prefer you hate me, but I play, then I know why I play, because I'm good. I'm not worried at all, because I know what I do. I train hard, sacrifice a lot, and it's my head that is playing, my knees just need to follow, so I'm not worried at all. What happened, happened. You cannot go back and change. You grow from that, you become different from that, you get experience from that. All my life I had to fight. No one believed in me. After 20 years in Europe, playing for the best clubs in the world, with best players in the world, I've been winning so much. I think what I collected, it's time to move to a different continent, I think you say. Move over to US, try the MLS, for me there was no question about it. Galaxy was the team and I chose them, so they didn't need to choose me. I chose them and I come to do exactly what I've been doing the last 23 years. Winning, because I feel it's in my DNA. Wherever I come, I won, and I will still do it. So I'm coming to win, I'm coming to help and make it better. This guy, this guy, he finds the goals, he finds the little tricks, he finds whatever the crowd needs at any given time. And yeah, I like the whole idea of him being there. And I've said this before, he was born to play for Manchester United. So if that happens, I will be very, very happy. He's not on the wall. There's a lot of problems. You know why? Because they still don't know how God is looking. Remember, if they whistle you or talk bad about you, it's because you're number one. I think his performance tonight was certainly world class. And credit to him, he scored one of the best goals I've ever seen live. So it was his night. Is that one of the best individual performances you've seen? Well, I think if someone scores four goals and the way he scored them. How are you going to deal with not having the big crowds? Being on the big stage with a big crowd and now this? I think I don't need it. I've been doing it for 20 years, 25 years. I played in front of 90,000 and I made them bounce. I made them cheer. I made them whistle. I made them hate. I made them love. So all these things. And I don't have that ego that I need attention now because I am who I am. I am remembered for what I did on the field. So I'm not looking for attention. I'm not looking to get recognised and all those things. Or else I would choose to be a commentator. I would do those things that you have these ex-players doing because they're doing it because they still miss the attention. They want to be seen in front of the camera. And I understand them because when you're on the field, you feel alive. And when you go there, you get this adrenaline. You feel the grass. You feel the duels. You feel the heat. You feel the atmosphere. And depending on what kind of player you are. I'm a very emotional player when I'm on the field. So I switch from one thing to another thing. But now it's a different thing. Now I will live, let's say, a normal life. And hopefully a normal life. How good is Latane Ibrahimovic? Yeah, we knew before he joined the club that he's a top player. One of the best players in the world. And he's got a real big presence about him. So he's going to be a great addition to our team. For me, it was about getting triggered. I needed to get adrenaline. And playing at home could be the fans, could be the opponent. I needed to find trigger points where I trigger myself. And I became more active. But I have to admit that away games, I feel alive. I'm very proud of all of you. Now do me a favor. Celebrate as champions. Because Milan is not Milan. Italy is the best! Even if I'm not in a fight, I'm looking for a fight. Because it's something that kicks... I get a kick off. I get adrenaline off. And where I came from, it was about survival mode. I mean, the strongest guy would survive. And to survive, you needed to be tough. You needed to show you're tough. And that's where I came from. But I brought it in my game also. And I had moments where it was going against me. Moments where it was giving me advantage. And all around me, they were talking like it always is. Media, they criticize you. They talk ---- about you. And they want to have something to say. But that was me. If I would not be like that, I would not be where I came. Or maybe sit here and speak to Piers Morgan. Ambition, passion, desire to play. Desire to compete. I couldn't be happier. And the guy is really fit. He's always ready to play. So I couldn't be happier. I'm not afraid to say what I think. I'm not afraid to do what I believe in. Then afterwards, they give you ---- or nothing. I mean, it's me. I cannot change me. I'm not here to be beautiful or to be perfect to somebody. I think being yourself is perfect. You will do mistakes. You will learn from your mistakes. And you will still do mistakes. I think it's important being yourself. I came to America. I saw actors. I saw big shots trying to make the perfect image. And I go to one of the shows. And they're like, where's your crew or entourage? And I'm like, what about my entourage? Normally, famous people, they come with 20 people. I say, you're here for me or my entourage? For you. I'm here. So I don't need them to make my image. I'm here for myself. So that's why I always say, be yourself. Being perfect is being yourself. Authenticity has a power to it. I think so, yes. And me getting angry and that, that's me. I need to get fired up. So that's how I bring out sharpness. That's how I bring out the best out of me when I walk on fire. Because if you make me feel too comfortable, I'm playing to win. And to win, I will destroy you. I will do everything to win. And I need to win. Because when I win, it's my proof that I am alive. And that's wherever I came, I was like that. But then I had some situation where I have teammates that would crack. They would not make it. They would cry in front of me. But I don't care because I'm here to win. Because I played in top five clubs in the world. I played maybe three of them. And if I don't do my job, they bring in somebody else. And I'm not there anymore. So that's why I say it's about survival mode. I'm not here to be nice or to be bad. I'm here to win. So to win, I needed to find those trigger points to get the best out of me. On a scale of 0 to 10, how good are you as a footballer? 10. I am still who I am, even if I'm not there. And that's what I say. You can take yourself out of a place. But the place you were raised and born in, it will still be in you. So that I would never change for success. I would never change for whatever happens to me. I will still be the same guy because the real thing will stay and survive longer. Not because I come in a nice area now. I bought a nice house in a nice area. I become them. No, no, I'm still myself. But my proof to them is I can also live here, even if I'm from that area. And I think it's important because you need to represent where you come from. But obviously, then you need discipline. You need respect. You need education. You cannot be an animal where you come from and then an animal there. You need to keep the discipline and the respect. Do you feel you helped create a rivalry here in the MLS? Do you feel you helped create this rivalry in the MLS? I made LFC famous, no? I made it even better famous, so I should be happy. Even if I'm not here anymore. You're all here, no? You should be over there and talk to them. You are who you are before and you will be who you are afterwards also. It's a remarkable recovery. You come back a good month early probably. Was there ever a moment you thought it might not happen? No. Because lions, they don't recover like humans. Everybody has a dream to become something. If we share the same dream, I don't have any hate for that person. Because if we share the same dream, we believe in the same thing, and then I make it, you don't make it, and you treat me bad when you were young, I cannot dislike you. It's the same thing now on the field. If I fight with somebody, if I don't like somebody on the field, I cannot hate that person because we share the same dream. The person I am, I'm never satisfied because I always want more. And like I said, I needed this kind of anger on the field. The Europa League became Champions League since I put my foot there. You're poor. My philosophy is, why be normal when you can be the best? I don't want to be normal. I want to make the difference. So everything I do, I want to make the difference. Because when I make the difference, I'm the best. And that is not arrogance, that is confidence. Oh my God, an insane goal! I'm just saying, the most insane goal I have ever seen on a football pitch. Incredible, incredible Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Any of the people that bullied you? Yeah, many of them. I think I was more bullied by the media than people around me, if I'm honest. The ones that bullied you when you were young? You've met them since you were successful? I've seen them, but I haven't really talked to them. Because friends come and go. Because you have friends when you're young, but you will understand who your real friends are when money comes in the picture. When I say money is not important, people would always say, no, no, money is not important. Then I would say, a lot of money is important. Because me and Mino, always when we do things, a lot of money is important. So it was more, not to have the money, it was more a trigger thing, a challenge. Because obviously you have a successful company, you don't want to sell it low, you want to sell it maximum as possible. But maybe not to survive or to have it, just for the challenge. Because you create something and then you get a big jackpot by selling it high. And I agree with you, money creates problems. Even in families, money brings stress. The more you have, the more stress. And where is the stop? You could live a good life with normal money. But what is normal money now? I've been on both sides. I've been without money, grew up with a family where my father made a thousand euros. You have to be remembered for your talent, not for what you earned. We do things for ourselves and our family. Who would judge you in five, ten years when you have a healthy, wealthy, healthy life and have a good life? Because I don't think nothing is for free. You don't work for free. I don't work for free. I don't need money, but I'm very expensive. When I say I am God, you think I'm joking or not? You tell me. I'm not joking. When I come on the field, I feel like that. You feel like God? I feel like God when I'm on the field. Omnipotent. I feel untouchable. And I feel I will smash everyone that comes in my way. That is the mental part. Let's say boxing. Tyson Fury is the champion. If you ask me if I could smash, I would say yes. I would. In my head, yes. But when I come in the ring, he would knock me out after two seconds. But the mentality is, I can. But in the ring, he would eat me alive without doubts. But my mentality is, I can. You have to back up what you say. Then it's better to be silent and not saying nothing. But I'm that type of guy. I believe it. I have a vision and I will arrive there. And I'm 100% I will because I'm a winner. Respect is nothing you ask for. Respect is something you take. So it depends on you. I have to make sure you respect me. I change my own game. You tell me good luck. I don't need luck to perform. I decide when to perform well. I am in control to do good or bad. That is what I believe in. You don't have to be seen because a third person has to say to you, oh, what a lovely guy you are. You're such an amazing guy. No, I don't need that. I do it because I want to do it. Not to get an image. That I think today in the sport world, they're looking, they're focusing too much on their image instead of being who you are. People have to accept you for who you are. And that is important. I think I'm the best. Without joking. I'm the most complete player that ever existed.