Beyond Football: Zlatan Ibrahimović’s Million-Dollar Push to Grow Padel in Sweden

After hanging up his boots, Zlatan Ibrahimović has channelled his trademark passion and ambition from football pitches to padel courts. The Swedish icon has invested millions into expanding the sport across his home country, opening clubs in Stockholm, Uppsala, Örebro, Skövde, and Jönköping, and even taking his vision abroad with a new facility in Milan, Italy. Padel, a rapidly growing racquet sport that blends elements of tennis and squash, has exploded in popularity across Europe in recent years. In Sweden, the sport’s boom has been remarkable, with celebrities and former athletes embracing it both recreationally and professionally. Zlatan’s involvement, however, adds a new level of legitimacy and scale to its development. His padel project aims not only to provide high-quality facilities but also to create a community around the sport. Each of his clubs is designed with cutting-edge courts, modern lounges, and fitness amenities—reflecting the same level of excellence that defined his football career. By opening venues in multiple Swedish cities, and now in Milan, Zlatan is making padel more accessible to fans and aspiring athletes, while helping to position Sweden as one of Europe’s major padel hubs. Zlatan Ibrahimović, one of football’s most charismatic and prolific strikers, officially retired in June 2023 while playing for AC Milan. His farewell marked the end of a remarkable career spanning over two decades, during which he scored more than 570 goals for club and country. He played for some of the world’s biggest clubs, including Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, LA Galaxy, and Milan, collecting league titles in four different countries. Now, with his signature confidence, Zlatan is channelling that same drive into padel. From football legend to padel powerhouse, he’s once again proving that retirement doesn’t mean slowing down — it just means finding a new arena to dominate.