MAIN MAG ON BOARD SPRING 21

Before long, talk of him cutting a deal for the vessel – which was
rumoured to have cost in the region of $7m – was rife.
Almost teasingly, the striker noted: “My life has always been the
subject of speculation, so this is nothing new to me.
“If people want to talk about me, they are welcome to; but I
will always talk about myself when I am ready, and not before.”
The point at which Sweden’s all-time record goalscorer was
ready to unveil his new project in full came in the summer of
2020. Fans got wind of him taking some downtime off the coast
of Saint-Tropez, and descended on the picture-perfect resort to
find him celebrating his new purchase with family and friends.
“Of course privacy has always been a priority for me, but when
you live your life in the lens you have to appreciate the fact you
cannot just switch it off,” he says. “I am always truly grateful
for the job I have and the extent to which fans of clubs follow
their team, particularly when things are perhaps not going as
well as they might; so I always try to do whatever I can for
those supporters.”
The lockdown was a difficult time for
everyone – I feel we suffered together,
and in our own ways we all looked for the things
that would make us happy… the simple things.
That said, season ticket holders angling for an invitation onto
his palatial yacht may find themselves sorely disappointed, even
if the vessel can accommodate 10 people in six cabins, with one
master suite and three additional crew cabins. There are six
bathrooms and a further two in the crew quarters.
“Yachts are something a lot of footballers really have a passion
for,” he says, “but the price of buying and maintaining these
things is sometimes so incredible – you have to be really sure
you want to go down that route, rather than invest your money
in cars, property, or perhaps a restaurant,” he laughs. “There
is a lot that can go wrong with these things.
“What has attracted me to boats is the desire to move around,”
he says. “I have moved around all of my life” – something of an
understatement for someone who has played football in all of
the major European leagues bar the German Bundesliga – “I find
it very difficult to sit still.
“The lockdown was a difficult time for everyone – I feel we suffered
together, and in our own ways we all looked for the things that
would make us happy… the simple things.
“I was desperate to get back to my boat, but also just to feel
the sea and spend time around water – it is very calming.
“When I was able to do that, with friends, and the ocean around
me, it was one of the greatest reliefs.”
While glorious shots of Ibrahimović diving off the side of his yacht
have certainly entertained his 45 million Instagram followers, his
actions may have proven less encouraging for Milan boss Stefano
Pioli, who typically tries to keep the veteran wrapped in cotton
wool so as to preserve the club’s Serie A title bid.
“I am always going to look after myself and keep in good shape,”
comes the response. “The way I feel now, I can keep on playing
until I am 50, no problem. For me, staying fit, being happy and
feeling capable of putting my body through the demands of
professional football means being able to relax and enjoy the
things around me. It’s all part of the deal.”
Certainly, in the era of astronomical football wages, the star
isn’t the first and won’t be the last to take the jump into yacht
ownership. Only very elite sports stars can be assured of
earning enough over a concerted period of time so as to be able
to fund the extravagance, with Lionel Messi, David Beckham,
Sergio Ramos, Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo select owners who
are setting the standard.
Chartering remains the more sensible option, but since when
did sensible work its way into Zlatan’s mindset? “I’m not going
to be that person to sit back and accept normality. My boat is
an expression of me seeking out new horizons, new challenges;
about wanting to put my mark on something different; and that
is the way I have been throughout my career.
“For me, that pursuit of new experiences is what has kept my
interest in football and it’s what has always made me want to
put my boots back on. When I lose that, I will surely retire…”
24 | SPRING 2021 | ONBOARD