The announcement came at the end of the final’s coverage, after Ibrahimović reportedly said he had already spoken enough during the previous month and a half. He thanked his studio colleagues, the production team and viewers in the United States before describing the moment as “minha despedida deste estúdio” - his farewell from the studio.
When presenter Rebecca Lowe asked him to explain, the former Sweden striker reportedly offered no ambiguity: “Esta foi a primeira e última vez para mim.”
It was a short goodbye, but one that matched the personality built during his playing career: direct, theatrical and delivered on his own terms.
Ibrahimović’s six-week spell reportedly became one of the most discussed parts of the broadcaster’s World Cup coverage. His appeal was obvious. He brought the confidence of a global football star, offered blunt readings of matches and appeared comfortable trading jokes with fellow analysts.
That presence helped turn what could have been a conventional punditry role into a talking point. Ibrahimović was never likely to disappear into the background, and his television style carried the same boldness that defined many of his public comments as a player.
The surprise is that the experiment appeared to work. His arrival had looked like the possible beginning of a longer media journey, particularly after he left professional football in 2023.
For now, the reported decision leaves no indication of another regular television project. If Ibrahimović maintains that position, his World Cup commentary career will be remembered as a brief cameo rather than a second act.
The next storyline will be whether the famously unpredictable Swede changes his mind - or finds another stage better suited to his voice.