Call me Zlat Damon
Striker Ibrahimovic: I could be the star of films like The Bourne Identity or Rambo
Somebody says I’d be the bad guy but I’m better than that ZLATAN TALKS ABOUT WHAT PARTS HE WANTS What will I buy for my wife? Nothing, she already has Zlatan ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC ABOUT WIFE’S BIRTHDAY
FOOTIE ace Zlatan Ibrahimovic says he wants to star in Hollywood action movies after he hangs up his boots.
The former Manchester United player said he could be the main man like Sylvester Stallone, or Matt Damon in the Jason Bourne films.
And the irrepressible 6ft 5in Swedish striker dismissed suggestions he might play villains.
Asked whether he would be “a sidekick to The Rock or Arnold Schwarzenegger”, Zlatan replied: “I think leading man.
“Something like Rambo, Bourne Identity, because I think I have the skills to do those things.
“Somebody says I could be like the bad guy in the movie, because my English is like [Rocky IV villain] Ivan Drago. But I see myself better than that.”
Drago was played in the 1985 boxing film by Zlatan’s compatriot Dolph Lundgren.
After leaving Man United in March, Zlatan is in the perfect place to begin a film career – he is playing for the Los Angeles Galaxy.
The 36-year-old said: “People see me on the streets and they are like ‘thank you for coming’.”
Asked which star he hopes to meet in Los Angeles – home to Hollywood – he joked: “Me, I don’t want to meet nobody. “They want to meet me.” Even before the remarks, a fan mocked up a photo of the Hollywood sign to say “Zlatanwood”.
If the footballer turned to acting he would join a list of players who have been in movies including David Beckham, Eric Cantona and Vinnie Jones. Zlatan has also joked he “owns” Sweden. He said: “I don’t think you can measure how popular I am. I am Sweden.” He added: “They will even change the name Sweden to my name on the map. When you navigate in Sweden, you don’t write ‘Sweden’, you write ‘Zlatan’.” The player, who has won 116 caps for his country and represented giant clubs such as Barcelona and Juventus, is rarely short of a quip. When asked previously what he would buy his wife – 47-year-old former model Helena Seger – for her birthday, he looked nonplussed and replied: “Nothing, she already has Zlatan.” He has also been asked about his move to LA Galaxy including the 45-yard wonder goal he scored on his debut. He said: “I had a vision before I came. I said when I come I know there is some earthquakes in Los Angeles and this one was me stepping in Los Angeles. I wanted to make a statement. “Every movie has a good start.”