11 December 2023 , 12:29
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Zlatan Ibrahimovic has joined RedBird Capital Partners as an advisor following his retirement from football.
Ibrahimovic called time on his illustrious playing career in June, having still been playing at the highest level for AC Milan aged 41. The former Swedish striker will now continue working with Milan in a role with RedBird, the American investment group which bought the Italian giants for €1.2billion (£1bn) about 18 months ago.
RedBird manages around $10bn (£8bn) and has stakes in Liverpool ’s owner Fenway Sports Group and the Alpine Formula 1 team. Ibrahimovic will work alongside RedBird founder Gerry Cardinale on expanding the fund’s sporting assets, as well as working with Milan manager Stefano Pioli and chief executive Giorgio Furlani.
“RedBird has partnered with some of the greatest athletes, teams and business figures in the world to create businesses with meaning and impact,” Ibrahimovic told the Financial Times. “I look forward to contributing to their investing activities across their sports, media and entertainment properties.”
RedBird counts basketball legend LeBron James and rapper Drake among its investors. The New York-based fund bought a 10 per cent stake in Fenway Sports Group in March 2021, giving them an indirect tie to Jurgen Klopp ’s side. And while Ibrahimovic will be focused on Milan, he will work across the group’s entire portfolio.
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“What makes a winner of Zlatan’s calibre is not just physical talent, but also high intellect and an entrepreneurial spirit,” said Cardinale. “At RedBird, we have developed partnerships with a very select group of high-performing world class athletes and artists who are able to thrive in the RedBird ecosystem.”
Ibrahimovic has a huge online presence, with 64m followers on Instagram and 9.3m on Twitter. He has been involved in the sports investment industry for some time and joins a growing number of athletes in the space.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic retired from football in June (Getty Images)The 42-year-old has been extremely outspoken throughout his career and since retiring has hit out at Manchester United fans for criticising the Glazer family. "I think now in Man United, I don't know, there are some kind of demonstrations about the owners to sell it and that, but just a reminder, the owners are investing," he told Piers Morgan Uncensored in October.
"It is not like they are not investing because they brought in many players for a high amount of money. So I think it's a little bit wrong saying that they are not doing what the fans expect them to do, then I don't know what the real reason is behind everything."