AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic reaffirmed his belief that athletes should “stick with sports” while targeting comments aimed at LA Lakers star LeBron James.
At a press conference Tuesday prior to the start of the Italian music festival San Remo, which Ibrahimovic co-hosts, he addressed his comments.
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“Athletes unite the world, politics divides it,” he said. “Our role is to unite the world by doing what we do best. Athletes should be athletes and politicians should be political.”
During an interview with UEFA for Discovery + last Thursday in Sweden, Ibrahimovic had said: “[LeBron] is phenomenal in what he does, but I don’t like it when people have a certain status, they start doing politics at the same time.
“Do what you are good at. Do the category you do. I play football because I am the best at football.
“I don’t do politics. If I were a political politician, I would do politics. That’s the first mistake people make when they get famous and get a certain status. Stay out of it. Just do what you do. Best, because it doesn’t look right. “
The comments sparked a response from James, who said he speaks “from a very developed mind, so I’m actually the wrong guy to go because I’m doing my homework.”
Ibrahimovic was also involved in a high-profile clash with Inter Milan forward Romelu Lukaku during their Coppa Italia quarter-final, which ended when both players were booked.
While both men had to be stopped by their respective teammates while exchanging insults, the Sweden forward said there is no bad blood between himself and his former Manchester United team-mate.
“If he [Lukaku] want to come [to San Remo]”He is welcome,” added Ibrahimovic. “What happens on the field stays on the field.”