IPA

Zlatan Ibrahimovic thinks LeBron James should stick to sports?

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 2/25/21

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James is an outspoken social-justice activist who repeatedly criticized former President Donald Trump, headed the "More Than a Vote" campaign, and celebrated when Joe Biden was named President-Elect in November.

AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, one of the most well-known international names in world football, recently spoke with UEFA and Discovery+ in Sweden about James and other athletes dipping figurative toes in political waters.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic says famous people like athletes should stay out of politics.

(via @dplus_sportSE)pic.twitter.com/mtxYJAjNiF
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 25, 2021

"What he does is phenomenal, but I don’t like it when people with a certain ‘status’ talk about politics," Ibrahimovic said of James, per Football Italia. "Do what you are good at. I play football because I am the best at it. If I was a politician, I’d have gone into politics.

"This is the first mistake that famous people make when they feel like they’ve arrived. I think it’s better to steer clear of these issues and do what you’re good at."

Ibrahimovic and James temporarily shared a city when the forward played for Major League Soccer side L.A. Galaxy in 2018 and 2019. While Ibrahimovic has asked followers to "Dare to Zlatan" via advertising campaigns, it appears he believes James and others should "shut up and dribble" as it pertains to politics.

"There are many kings, but there is only one God," Ibrahimovic told Sky Sports in October 2018 while speaking about playing in Los Angeles at the same time as James.

"The L.A. people are thankful, they are grateful, appreciate everything I do, and they are happy when they see me.

"They make me happy and they are saying I am the best thing that happened to LA since Kobe Bryant retired.

"It makes me proud, it makes me happy."

More must-reads: