Zlatan came to play in America late in his career. He was already famous in a way that most athletes never become. Plus, he was already rich beyond imagination. Like, turn down $100 million to go play in China rich, and not feel bad about it. Consider that.
But he was also at that point in a public figure's career when the question starts forming whether you want it to or not: what do you do if nobody cares because you can't do the thing anymore?
So he looked around and considered his options. Because being relevant? That’s some real s***. You only matter to people if they have a reason for you to matter to them. As he told Piers Morgan:
"I came to America. I saw actors. I saw big shots trying to make the perfect image. And I go to one of the shows and they're like 'where's your crew or entourage?' And I'm like, 'what about my entourage?' Normally famous people come with 20 people. I say - you're here for me or my entourage? I'm here. So I don't need them to make my image. I'm here for myself."
The actors and the big shots were doing what everyone does at that stage. Surrounding themselves with props. Stretching the moment a little longer. Building monuments to their egos in the name of staying even just a little relevant for just a little longer.
Zlatan watched, filed it away, and went back to Italy.
Not to a superclub riding high. For the casual fan, I can’t stress this enough. This is Zava going to Richmond in Ted Lasso. It doesn’t make sense on paper. It only makes sense if you understand the character of the character.
Zlatan left LA for AC Milan - who had just been smashed 5-0 by Atalanta, which was unthinkable a decade prior. When asked why he returned the once powerhouse of a club where he dominated, he said he'd told his agent to find him the worst team he could save.
At 38, at the onset of the pandemic, he walked back into Serie A. Not as a mascot but as a problem for every other team to have to deal with.
Same instinct. Different arena. No entourage required.
Just him showing up with his talents.
Aging talents, but still - talents.
Because the entourage is a status flex. Showing up 20-deep is a way of projecting importance you're not necessarily sure you have. Zlatan's answer, both times, was to shed the props entirely and show up as the thing itself.
As he put it:
"I'm not here to be beautiful or to be perfect to somebody. I think being yourself is perfect. You will do mistakes. You will learn from your mistakes. And you will still do mistakes."
Everything is moving forward. Periods and eras, one after another. Your only job is to find what's real and reduce everything else.
Less perfect as the goal.
Less beauty as the defining value of a performance.
Only more of what you actually are. More truth.
And you don’t have to go looking for it.
You're already there. Here. Now.
So let the mistakes happen.
Just be aware enough to learn something.
PS. Definitely self-narrate this in a dramatic voice for me:
And then, when the Lion is ready to eat, he eats.
Let the record show - Milan won the Scudetto in 2022. Zlatan was 40. Let your talents do the talking.
PPS. I have a whole post over on Panoptica featuring Zlatan talking money + friends and family boundaries. If you’re in finance, or have some money and a family you care about, please read this.
PPPS. This is such a great interview if you haven’t heard it:
