Zlatan bought his father a Mercedes S‑Class; father refused at first then used it
The striker says his father declined the expensive Mercedes at first, but Zlatan later saw him enjoying the car in Malmo.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic recounted a private family moment from his childhood in Malmo when he bought his father a Mercedes S‑Class as a sign of gratitude — only to be met by firm refusal and Balkan-style pride.
A proud refusal, then a secret enjoyment
Ibrahimovic said he wanted to give his father, Shefik, a symbol of status after the striker began to earn real money from his football career. He described knocking on his father's door and presenting the car keys, expecting a grateful reaction.
“I bought a car for my father and I told him: ‘This is your car. It is yours, I want you to drive it.’ It was a Mercedes S‑Class. He just looked at me and coldly replied: ‘I don't need a car.’ I told him: ‘You have to look like a Balkan! I bought you a big, nice car. You are Zlatan's father, drive it and be proud!’ He told me again, completely calmly: ‘I don't need a car.’ He really started to get on my nerves! Finally I got angry and said: ‘Listen, this is your car, period! Drive it.’ I threw the keys on the table and stormed out of the room,” Ibrahimovic said.
Despite the refusal, Zlatan says the truth came out a week later when he spotted the same Mercedes driving around the city.
“The funny thing is that one week later I was driving around town and in the distance I noticed the very Mercedes I had bought him. I got closer to the car and saw that my father was driving it with pleasure! He never showed those things in front of me, but he used it when I wasn't there,” Zlatan recalled with a smile.
The anecdote, told by the veteran forward, underlines a mix of family pride and modesty that has followed Ibrahimovic from his modest upbringing in Malmo into a career at the top level of world football.
Photo: press material from the event
