Even at 44, Zlatan Ibrahimović keeps the wheel running. Being one of the greatest footballers, with 500+ career goals and multiple Golden Balls, the Swedish player's training philosophy is simpler than it seems: discipline.

In a recent June 6 Instagram post, captioned "morning routines", Ibrahimović shared a video clip of himself at the gym. Fans could see 'Ibra' repping clean & jerks, toe touches from deadhang, and wall handstands.

And this isn't just one instance. The Swedish star has been open about the importance of staying active despite the odds of life. "I’m only happy when I’m moving, so staying in good condition comes very naturally to me. I can’t sit still," he shared with GQ magazine.

In fact, given this love for sports, motivation is never a problem for Ibrahimović. Movements just come naturally to him. He carries this passion even beyond the football ground or the gym.

"I love to try out new things, to challenge myself as much as possible. As a kid, I did many different sports at school." Some of the many sports Zlatan has tried include racket, ball games, and even track and field.

The footballer is also into martial arts, training in taekwondo since his teenage years. He earned his black belt in the discipline at just 17 years old.

So, what does Zlatan's multi-sport approach look like?

Taekwondo influence on Zlatan Ibrahimović's football style

Even though Zlatan traded the taekwondo mats for the football greens, he hasn't really left his impressive skills in the past.

His martial arts training has greatly influenced his unconventional style, incorporating his signature 'taekwondo goals', or acrobatic jump-kicks.

Playing for the LA Galaxy against Toronto FC, Zlatan scored his 500th goal in a starring fashion, executing a clean back-heel chop on the ball coming over his shoulders, sending it straight to the net.

That was just one of his other chic goals, including the backheel volley in 2013, the kung-fu volley in 2018, and the 30-yard overhead kick against England in 2012.

Former Head of Performance for Manchester United, Tony Strudwick, has seen it from close quarters. "Zlatan is very strong on mixed martial arts – you certainly wouldn’t want to take him on," Strudwick shared.

From Golden Balls to taekwondo belts, Zlatan Ibrahimović has conquered it all. And even at 44, he continues to stun his fanbase. Are you game for a multi-disciplinary training approach?

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Written by

Proma Chatterjee

Edited by

Ashvinkumar Patil