RedBird Capital group owner Gerry Cardinale has highlighted some of the reasons behind Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s return to AC Milan as an advisor.
Read SempreMilan ad-free and get access to exclusive news. Click here for a free trial!
As part of the official news that Ibrahimovic is now an operation partner of RedBird and an advisor for Milan, Cardinale was asked about why he felt the Swede had to come back into the fold so soon after retiring from the Rossoneri playing squad last summer.
As per the statement, Ibra will ‘collaborate with RedBird’s global investment team in supporting the firm’s existing investment portfolio across sports, media and entertainment’.
He will also ‘help source and evaluate new investment opportunities for the firm, and will advise RedBird portfolio companies on commercial projects, digital content strategies and strategic brand building initiatives to extend their presence on a global basis’.
Cardinale quickly made reference to Ibrahimovic’s wonderful playing career which saw success on more than one occasion.
“We have all been fortunate to witness Zlatan’s greatness as a player and his contributions in leading AC Milan to the top of Serie A. What makes a winner of Zlatan’s calibre is not just physical talent, but also high intellect and an entrepreneurial spirit,” Cardinale said.
“At RedBird, we have developed partnerships with a very select group of high-performing world-class athletes and artists who are able to thrive in the RedBird ecosystem across our sports, media and entertainment portfolio.”
Cardinale also talked about what he managed to learn about and from Zlatan when the pair first met in the subsequent years in which the Swede was still a player.
“I have had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with Zlatan in thinking through his post-playing career options. To have him play an active role in the future of the Club is indicative of our continued commitment to excellence both on and off the pitch, and I’m looking forward to working with him as a partner and colleague at both RedBird and AC Milan,” he said.
On what makes him qualified for this advisory role, Cardinale said: “The respect Zlatan commanded as a player, his global presence among fans of the sport, and his diverse skillset as an entrepreneur is a powerful combination for both AC Milan and RedBird.”
