From a sports media standpoint, there may not have been a bigger winner at this year’s World Cup than Zlatan Ibrahimović.
Yet despite receiving plenty of praise for his work as an analyst, the former striker insists that his time in the Fox Sports studio will be one and done.
“I have been talking a lot the last one-and-a-half months, so these will be my last words,” Ibrahimović said before thanking his colleagues and Fox as the network’s postgame coverage of Spain’s victory over Argentina in the World Cup final came to a close on Sunday. “You made it easy for me. I hope, America, you enjoyed it as much as I did. And this is also my farewell to this studio. It was the first and last time for me. So thank you, everybody.”
In many ways, Ibrahimović’s abrupt announcement came as a surprise. While it initially took some time to jell, the Fox World Cup studio consisting of Rebecca Lowe, Alexi Lalas, Thierry Henry, and Ibrahimović ultimately received high marks throughout the tournament, with Ibrahimović, in particular, standing out in his debut gig as a TV pundit.
An accomplished striker whose playing career from 1999-2023 included stints at high profile clubs such as Inter Milan, Barcelona, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, and the LA Galaxy, Ibrahimović’s on-field resume brought instant credibility to the Fox set. Despite not previously possessing traditional broadcasting experience, his status as one of the sport’s best soundbites as a player helped make for a seamless transition.
