Zlatan Ibrahimovic has stunned World Cup viewers by announcing his immediate departure from television punditry live on air – moments after fiercely criticising Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes for his conduct in the 2026 World Cup final against Spain.
The former Sweden striker, working as an analyst for Fox Sports during the tournament in the United States, launched a scathing attack on Paredes’ aggressive behaviour towards Spain’s Eric Garcia and Gavi during the ill-tempered showpiece at MetLife Stadium.
“يمكن ان يكون باريديس سعيدا لعدم وجود لاعب مثلي في الملعب، لو كنت هناك لكنت نطحته براسي وطردت. انه تصرف غير احترافي منه,” Ibrahimovic said, condemning what he saw as a lack of professionalism from the Argentine.
The 44-year-old, whose club career spanned Barcelona, Juventus, AC Milan, Paris St-Germain and Manchester United, had only been in his media role for around six weeks before deciding to walk away.
Ibrahimovic slams Paredes and questions Spain’s response
Ibrahimovic, renowned during his playing days for his physical presence and outspoken personality, argued that Paredes crossed the line in the World Cup final.
His criticism was not limited to the Argentina midfielder. The Swede also took aim at Spain’s players for failing to react more forcefully to protect their teammates on the pitch in New Jersey.
“لا اعرف ماذا يفعل اللاعبون الاسبان؟!. انهم يشاهدون فقط لاعبا اخر يضرب زميله في الفريق,” he said, expressing disbelief that Spanish players did not intervene more robustly after the clashes involving Paredes, Garcia and Gavi.
The comments added another layer of controversy to what had already been a fiery final, with tensions flaring between the newly crowned world champions Argentina and Spain in a match watched by millions around the globe.
Live-on-air farewell after ‘first and last’ TV stint
In a move that caught colleagues and viewers off guard, Ibrahimovic then pivoted from criticism of on-field behaviour to a personal announcement, declaring the end of his short-lived career as a television pundit.
“لقد تحدثت كثيرا خلال الشهر ونصف الماضيين، لكن هذه ستكون كلماتي الاخيرة، اليكسي (لالاس)، وتيري (هنري)، وريبيكا (لو)، شكرا لكم,” he told fellow studio analysts Alexi Lalas and Thierry Henry, and presenter Rebecca Lowe.
He went on to thank the network and the host country for the opportunity to work at the tournament.
“لقد كان من دواعي سروري مشاركة هذا الاستوديو معكم، كما اشكر فوكس والولايات المتحدة وكل من شاهد. امل ان تكونوا قد استمتعتم بقدر ما استمتعت. هذه هي زيارتي الاخيرة للاستوديو، بالنسبة لي كانت هذه المرة الاولى والاخيرة,” he said.
Those remarks confirmed that the World Cup would be both his debut and his farewell as a regular studio analyst.
A brief but headline-grabbing media career
Ibrahimovic’s move into broadcasting had attracted significant attention given his global profile and larger-than-life persona. His forthright style, honed over an extraordinary playing career at some of Europe’s biggest clubs, quickly became a feature of Fox Sports’ World Cup coverage.
Though his stint lasted only about a month and a half, it was marked by the same outspoken confidence and willingness to court controversy that defined his time on the pitch. His final appearance combined a blunt on-air dressing-down of an active World Cup winner with a sudden, definitive exit from the studio.
By drawing a line under his punditry work so abruptly, Ibrahimovic has left open questions about whether he might reconsider in future tournaments or in different media roles. For now, however, he insists this World Cup was “the first and the last” time viewers will see him in a television studio, ending his brief broadcasting chapter with a characteristic mix of drama and candour.
