Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s net worth in 2021

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is easily one of the most recognizable names in the world of international soccer, so it's no surprise he has a massive net worth. He's right up there with the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, and if you ask him, there is no question that Zlatan is the GOAT. And, yes, he refers to himself in the third person. Today, we're looking at Zlatan Ibrahimovic's net worth in 2021.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic's net worth in 2021 (estimate): $230 million

According to Glusea, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is worth a whopping $230 million as of 2021.

Born on Oct. 3, 1981 in Malmo, Sweden, Ibrahimovic exhibited an elite potential at a very early age. As a kid he joined several local clubs, but it wasn't until he was 18 that he turned pro. Zlatan signed his first professional deal with local side Malmo, which considers him a club legend to this day.

Not long after, Ibrahimovic caught the eye of international scouts. In 2001, at the age of 20, the striker made the big move to the Netherlands, joining internationally renowned club Ajax. In his very first season, he helped the club to the league championship, the Eredivisie title.

Ibrahimovic's star continued to rise, and by 2004, he made a big-money transfer to Italian outfit Juventus. Over the next decade or so, Zlatan had a number of lucrative stints with the biggest soccer clubs in the world, including Inter Milan (Italy), Barcelona (Spain), AC Milan (Italy), Paris Saint-Germain (France), and Manchester United (England).

Reports state that it was with Manchester United, one of the wealthiest professional clubs in the entire world, where Ibrahimovic earned the most in salary throughout his career. At that time, he was earning a massive $35 million per year.

The other clubs he played for are also some of the most affluent soccer sides in the world, and while his annual salary may not have been $35 million, it would be safe to say that he was able to amass quite a fortune throughout his career.

Zlatan always makes sure that his employers get a healthy return on their investment in him. He has one of the most decorated careers in the history of the sport. Ibrahimovic pretty much wins wherever he goes, as he never seems to fail to justify all the money being thrown in his direction. As of writing, he has bagged 31 domestic and international trophies in his career.

Ibrahimovic is also a legend in his native Sweden. He has captained the national side for what has seemed like an eternity. While his relationship with the Swedish Football Association has had its rough patches, he's still widely regarded as arguably the best Swedish soccer player of all time. In 2014, the Swedish media named Ibrahimovic the second-greatest sports figure in history, next only to tennis legend Bjorn Borg.

In 2018, Ibrahimovic reportedly turned down a massive $100 million deal to play in the Chinese Super League. A fair amount of prominent players opt to make the move to China toward the latter end of their respective careers, with the primary intention of making as much money as possible prior to their impending retirement.

This wasn't the case for Ibrahimovic, though, who opted to head to the United States to play for the LA Galaxy of Major League Soccer. His contract was reportedly worth just $3 million for two years, which is obviously a far cry from the money he would have made in China.

Ibrahimovic was already rolling in the deep at that point, and for him, the move to the United States was more about building his legacy (and his brand in a completely new and profitable market) as opposed to earning a fortune in Asia:

“This is a big challenge for me. I want to come over here to the US and show everybody what I'm able to do,” Ibrahomivic told ESPN in 2018.

“It's not about the money because I didn't even know the contract I had here. I just said ‘prepare, I'm coming'. I think even the Galaxy was surprised.”

In the beginning of 2020, Ibrahimovic made a return to Italy, signing an initial six-month, $3.9 million deal with one of his former squads, AC Milan. At that time, Zlatan was already 38. Most soccer players end their careers during their mid-30s, but simply put, Ibrahimovic is unlike most other human beings we've seen in the past.

He's went on to enjoy a fantastic first full season in Milan, scoring 15 goals while helping the side in their pursuit for Champions League football. Ibrahimovic also inked a one-year extension with Milan in April.

According to Sportekz, Ibrahimovic earns an estimated $10 million per year on his endorsements alone. At the peak of his popularity, he had endorsement contracts with Nike, Microsoft Xbox, Nivea, Samsung, and Volvo.

Were you at all surprised by Zlatan Ibrahimovic's net worth in 2021?