Zlatan on TV From the US: ‘American Fans Laugh With a Taco, European Fans Wait for You Outside Your House’
From the stage of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Zlatan Ibrahimović appeared in his role as a television pundit — sharp, confident and smiling at the sidelines, as is his custom. But between one tactical observation and the next, the Swede couldn’t resist indulging one of his best-known habits: the well-aimed one-liner.
Ibrahimović drew a comparison between American and European football supporters, claiming that fans in the United States are far more laid-back: “If you lose, the fans just laugh and hold a taco.” In Europe, however, the situation is rather different: “They wait for you outside your house — no taco.” A quip that raises a smile, of course, but one that carries a far from neutral message.
A Dig at AC Milan’s Fans?
The context cannot be ignored. Ibrahimović’s comments come at a time when the Rossoneri fanbase is openly expressing its discontent, with protests that have spread well beyond Italy’s borders — all the way to London and Times Square. AC Milan fans are angry about a disappointing season, the absence of a clear technical project and the club’s painfully slow decision-making.
Reading the Swede’s words as an indirect response to that discontent is hardly a stretch. Ibrahimović, who is a partner of Gerry Cardinale in RedBird Capital Partners and has personally invested in the American fund, finds himself in a position of potential conflict of interest whenever he comments on the ownership’s actions. Choosing an international stage to relativise the passion of European fans — and Milanisti in particular — is a communicative choice that deserves careful consideration.
Rossoneri Passion Stands Alone
It is undeniable that sporting cultures differ. European football has deep roots in communities, cities and families: it is not mere entertainment, it is identity. Rossoneri supporters, in particular, carry a glorious history of passion and devotion to their colours that no comparison with any other sporting federation can diminish.
The criticism is not directed at Ibrahimović as a footballer — his career speaks for itself, and his contribution to Milan on and off the pitch is part of the club’s history — but at the role he occupies today and the responsibility that comes with it. Anyone who is part of a club’s management structure has a duty to listen to the fans, not to make light of their feelings.
Ibrahimović’s Role in the Milan Project
Despite his presence at the World Cup as a pundit, Ibrahimović continues to be active in AC Milan‘s internal workings: he provides advice, takes part in discussions with coaches and executives — including over the phone — and remains a voice that Cardinale listens to. The fact that he has met with Oliver Glasner and held talks with other candidates for the dugout shows that his operational role has not stalled.
The moment Milan returns to winning and builds a solid project will also be the moment when the bond between Ibrahimović and the Rossoneri faithful can rediscover the harmony that united them at their finest. Milan’s fans know how to wait — but they want to do so with respect.
