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


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