Breakout Fox Broadcaster Quits After Just One World Cup

Fox Sports’ standout analyst Zlatan Ibrahimović is hanging up the headset almost as quickly as he picked it up. The former soccer superstar announced during the network’s World Cup Final coverage that he will not return to the broadcaster for the 2030 tournament, telling viewers the past six weeks would be both his “first and last time” on the network. After initially saying he had spoken enough over the past month and a half, the Swedish soccer icon, 44, thanked his fellow analysts, Fox’s production staff, and American viewers before calling it “my farewell to this studio.” When host Rebecca Lowe asked him to clarify, he doubled down: “This was the first and last time for me.” Ibrahimović, who is Sweden’s all-time leading goal scorer, quickly became one of the breakout personalities of Fox’s World Cup coverage, earning praise for his sharp analysis, easy chemistry with Thierry Henry, and playful digs at fellow analyst Alexis Lalas. Some had expected the tournament to mark the beginning of a long broadcasting career following Ibrahimović’s retirement from professional soccer in 2023. Still, the outspoken striker says this chapter is already over.

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