Soccer legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic appeared to abruptly retire from punditry during a shock on-air speech just moments after the World Cup final concluded.
Former Sweden international Ibrahimovic had been on punditry duty throughout the World Cup – featuring alongside Thierry Henry, Alexi Lalas and Rebecca Lowe to form Fox Sports’ analyst team during the summer tournament.
While fans have loved the 44-year-old’s contributions for the network, he signaled that it would be his last punditry gig as the curtains came down on the World Cup.
Speaking on Fox after Spain’s 1-0 win over Argentina in the final, Ibrahimovic declared: ‘I have been talking a lot for the last one-and-a-half months but these will be my last words. Alexi, thank you. Thierry, thank you. Rebecca, thank you.
‘It has been an absolute pleasure to share this studio with you guys – you’ve made it very easy for me. I also want to thank Fox, America and all the people you don’t see.
‘I hope that America enjoyed it as much as me. This is my farewell to the studio. This was the first and last time for me. So, take care, everybody.’
Zlatan Ibrahimovic appeared to abruptly retire from punditry during a shock on-air speech
Ibrahimovic’s comments swiftly went viral on social media, with fans expressing their disappointment that the Swede would not be returning to their TV screens.
Taking to X, one fan wrote: ‘He is a natural. Disappointed he’s not wanting more microphone time.’
‘He was very good. Direct and honest. A pleasant change from the typical drivel,’ another wrote on the platform, praising Ibrahimovic’s on-air personality.
Another said: ‘That was an absolute blast for 6 weeks. Excellent coverage all around’.
‘I was sorry to hear that! I thought Zlatan was great. And I thought this group was really a lot of fun to watch. I was hoping they would be together again,’ another said.
Meanwhile, one brutally wrote: ‘Drop Lalas and keep Zlatan. Nobody would miss Lalas trust me’. Unfortunately for that fan, his wishes won’t be coming true.
At the start of the month, the network hailed Lalas as a ‘cornerstone’ of its coverage, vowing that it will stay that way for years to come.
‘Lex has been the cornerstone of our soccer coverage for as long as I can remember,’ Fox Sports CEO Eric Shanks told Puck’s John Ourand.
‘He’s the straw that stirs the drink, and he’ll be the cornerstone for many years to come.’
Ibrahimovic has starred alongside Rebecca Lowe, Thierry Henry and Alexi Lalas for Fox Sports
Former USMNT star Lalas has ruffled feathers throughout the World Cup, with fans often left divided over his analysis of the games.
His colleagues – Ibrahimovic and Henry – at times appeared to grow impatient with the former defender on various occasions, leading to sly on-air jabs.
Asked about the criticism facing the former footballing trio’s chemistry, Shanks claimed: ‘They’re having a ton of fun, whether it’s in the avocado room, which is our green room, or on air. We enjoy it, and it seems like the country is enjoying it.’
The 56-year-old rose to prominence in soccer in the United States as a defender for the national team during the 1994 World Cup and has covered multiple international tournaments for Fox.
Ibrahimovic, meanwhile, is regarded as one of the most successful strikers of his era, prior to retiring in 2023. During his playing career, he won league titles with Ajax, Inter Milan, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain and scored over 570 career goals.
