Legendary striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has joined Fox Sports as an analyst for this summer’s World Cup.
The 44-year-old, who has built an off-field reputation for being forthright and supremely self-confident, will join the likes of Thierry Henry and host Rebecca Lowe in the Fox Studio.
According to The Athletic, Fox made moves to hire both David Beckham and Jurgen Klopp. There were times, it is reported, that the former Liverpool manager appeared open to joining the network.
In the end, Fox secured Ibrahimovic as a full-time analyst for this summer’s tournament, which runs from June 11 to July 19.
Fox chiefs remained tight-lipped on whether Tom Brady – an acquaintance of Ibrahimovic and Fox’s lead NFL analyst – helped broker the deal.
‘He was at the top of the list of people we wanted to take swings at for this World Cup,’ Fox Sports president Brad Zager told The Athletic.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has joined Fox Sports as an analyst for this summer’s World Cup
The network also reportedly made moves to hire both David Beckham and Jurgen Klopp
Fox chiefs remained tight-lipped on whether Tom Brady helped broker the deal for Ibrahimovic
‘We put a blank slate on the board, thinking some were longshots and guys who have worked with us in the past and a lot of stuff in between. And Zlatan was one that there was no reason to not take a swing and see if he would be willing to do this.’
It is reported that the network’s efforts to land Ibrahimovic, who represented Sweden at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, began last fall.
The 44-year-old is already known to soccer fans in the United States, having briefly played in Major League Soccer with LA Galaxy.
During a remarkable playing career that spanned nearly a quarter of a century, Ibrahimovic also played for the likes of Juventus, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United.
He is Sweden’s record scorer, having amassed 62 goals in 122 appearances for his country.
