Ibrahimovic, who famously played for both AC and Inter Milan, is currently a Senior Advisor to the ownership of AC Milan and an Operating Partner with RedBird Capital Partners who own the side.
Stepping aside from his duties, he is also a pundit at the World Cup as he stays busy after retirement from football in which he certainly left his mark.
Ibrahimovic’s move to Barcelona in the summer of 2009 was a hot topic at the time after winning his third consecutive league title with the club and becoming Serie A's top scorer.
Inter president Massimo Moratti publicly thanked Ibrahimović in what wasn’t a bitter departure at the time as the club quickly replaced him with Samuel Eto’o. Materazzi joked this week that he was thankful that Ibrahimovic departed that summer.
“For me, it was just an on-the-field matter. I don’t know about him. I can’t really say anything about him because, with what he’s doing, he’s the biggest Inter fan in history.
“Eto’o knew he was strong; he had an incredible ego, but he put himself at the team’s disposal with humility,” Materazzi said.
“Even if, in footballing terms, he’s not the most humble I’ve ever met, he always gave his all for the team.
“He didn’t care whether Milito, Materazzi or Zanetti would score. What mattered was to lift the trophies. For this reason, I’ll forever be grateful to Ibrahimovic, as he left Barcelona and let us get Eto’o.”
Moves to France, England and the US followed before Ibrahimovic returned to AC Milan in 2020 where he lifted the Serie A once more.