Sweden legend Zlatan Ibrahimović has claimed that he could revolutionise football in the USA – but he won’t because he wants to devote his time to his family.

Interviewed on the Dan Patrick Show, a legendary sports show in the USA, and ​quoted on the LA Galaxy website, the LA Galaxy striker said: “I have my wife, I got my two kids. If I was single I would spread my investment here in the US and you would have future legends in the soccer. But sorry I’m already occupied by my wife and two kids.”

The former Manchester United striker has never been short of self-confidence, as illustrated by his comments when discussing his superstar status in his native Sweden in the same interview: “I don’t think that you can measure how popular I am. I am Sweden. They will even change the name Sweden to my name on the map. 

“When you navigate in Sweden, you don’t write Sweden, you write Zlatan.. 

Ibrahimović’s remarks about not helping with the development of US soccer don’t seem to have caused offence to his current team LA Galaxy, at least not if the club’s official website is anything to go by. Their recently-acquired striker is merely described as ‘his usual quotable self’.

Then again, this is hardly surprising, seeing as he has already scored three goals for the Major League Soccer side in just three appearances.

The Swede has also broadly hinted that he will play at this year’s FIFA World Cup, having retired after Sweden’s dismal showing in the 2016 European Championships.

However, even though he is Sweden’s all-time record goalscorer with 62 international goals in 116 caps – including a sensational double brace against England in 2012 – the prospect of him playing in Russia this summer has had a mixed reception in Sweden. Some Swedes feel that his egotistical and individualistic approach may detract from their team spirit.

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