Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of the most outspoken big names in all of sports. As such, it didn’t come as a huge shock back in February when he had some not-so-nice things to say about Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.
This week the AC Milan striker doubled down on his initial comments, making it clear that he ultimately regretted nothing.
“I said that we are not politicians,” Ibrahimovic said in a recent interview regarding his beef with James.
“Politics divides people. Football, in my world, unites people. Big difference. Because I have had the chance to meet and get to know people that I would never have known if I did not play football.
“I have met people from all four corners of the world. We unite people. Politicians divide. If I wanted to be a politician, I would do politics. We should only do what we’re good at. Sports and politics are two different categories. If you are intelligent, you understand.”
Whether he’s expressing his opinion on U.S. political elections or paying more than $27 million to ensure that felons are able to vote, James is not one to shy away from offering his take politically. And it appears as though criticism from folks like Ibrahimovic will not deter him from continuing to do so.
Interestingly enough, Ibrahimovic isn’t the first big name athlete to take issue with James for this specific reason. Former UFC interim champ Colby Covington famously bashed James and his mother for being too politically active.
The first time Ibrahimovic said what he said, he caught a lot of backlash for it. Will history repeat itself? Time will tell.
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