Ibrahimovic: Why IKEA has offered him free meatballs for life
The LA Galaxy striker has revealed his love for IKEA furniture, but says that his wife is the one that puts it together.
If there is possibly one thing bigger to have come out of Sweden than Zlatan Ibrahimovic, it is IKEA. Although we doubt the big man himself would admit this.
The former Manchester United, Barcelona and AC Milan striker is a huge fan of the Swedish furniture store found in 25 countries worldwide, including in Los Angeles, where Ibrahimovic has spent the last year playing for LA Galaxy.
Ibrahimovic was a guest on U.S. late night chat show Jimmy Kimmel Live on Thursday night, where the LA Galaxy player revealed his love for IKEA.
In a story recalling his move to LA last year, 'Zlatan' revealed that he had asked his wife to find a house to rent with furniture in order to save the hassle of furnishing. But despite his petition, Zlatan’s wife Helena Seger told him she had found a nice house but that it was unfurnished.
“So I’m like: ‘Then you go to IKEA and you get the furniture’,” the footballer told Jimmy Kimmel. “And then the broker goes like: ‘rich people don’t buy furniture in Ikea’”.
To which Zlatan replied: “No. But intelligent people do”.
It’s not the first time Ibrahimovic has given a shout-out to the Swedish furniture giant. During last week’s LA Galaxy new kit launch, the former Sweden international claimed that Ikea was “fantastic”.
And last summer before the World Cup game between Sweden and England, he made a much-publicised bet with David Beckham on Twitter, demanding that Beckham buy him whatever he wanted from Ikea if Sweden won the match. Unfortunately for ‘Zlatan’, they didn’t and he lost the bet.
Ikea’s marketing department are undoubtedly over the moon about the free advertising and brand association with one of the most popular football stars on the planet. So much so that the company took to Twitter to offer the Swedish footballing legend free meatballs (known as Kottbullar in Swedish) for life at their stores.
“Hej, @Ibra_official ! We hear you love IKEA, so we’re giving you free meatballs for life. Seriously, visit the #IKEABurbank restaurant before Saturday’s season opening match or anytime and the KÖTTBULLAR are on us!,” tweeted the company.
We’re not sure if rich people eat meatballs in Ikea. But intelligent people certainly do.