AC Milan consultant Zlatan Ibrahimovic has insisted his ambition is to make history and return to European glory.
However, he has warned that there are no shortcuts for AC Milan to reach that level.
The Diavolo celebrated the club’s 125th anniversary this year and marked it with a win at the Bernabeu, beating Real Madrid 3-1.
“AC Milan are part of football history and we are just the latest generation to emerge,” Ibrahimovic told UEFA Champions League Magazine.
“We bring the past to the present and blend it. That’s what AC Milan stands for.
“During my time here, I would also like to thank Silvio Berlusconi and Adriano Galliani, because we are all here thanks to them.”
They were in charge for more than 30 years and brought Ibrahimovic to San Siro as a player, but the Swede remains a director.
“I believe in this project, I believe in what AC Milan represents and I think I share the same vision as the people who work here.
“People want to achieve great things, write history, win and when you talk about winning, I feel alive.
“I can’t help the team win from my position, but I have a lot to learn and I am humbled to do it.
“I feel attached to AC Milan in a special way even after my playing career is over and I want to do great things with this team.”
Ibrahimovic is one of the most travelled players in world football, so why does he ultimately feel that attachment to AC Milan?
“This is a club that has given me a lot in my career. I’ve been here twice, I appreciate what AC Milan represents.
“The first time I was here I had the pleasure of playing, the second time I felt loved and now I want to give back some of that.
“I am ambitious to want to give something back.”
Zlatan once said he would struggle when he finally hung up his boots, but seems to have accepted this next stage of his life.
“Since I made this decision, I feel happy and at peace. I don’t miss playing football.
“I am more excited to learn this new role, we have a young and hungry team with big ambitions and visions.
“No one is satisfied until we get what we want, which is to win.”
Ibrahimovic was asked further about what he and AC Milan want from this project.
“The ambition is to make history, which means winning trophies, and historically AC Milan have won a lot of trophies.
It is also a work in progress, many things need to be adjusted and we have to trust the process, because we are working in different conditions.
“It starts with the Milan Futuro squad that we launched this season, part of our academy, because we believe in them and want to give these young players the opportunity to play professional football in Serie C, which is a big challenge.
“Of course, the core of our work is the first team, so all our resources are dedicated to them.
“If you don’t win, then you don’t get the reward for that effort.
“So far. The results are lacking, but there are a lot of changes at the club too, so it takes time to sort all that out.”
Discussing the globalization of football, Ibrahimovic stressed that AC Milan are already global, known all over the world.
“One of our goals now is to get back to the top of European football, because that’s where AC Milan should be, but there are no shortcuts to get there.”