Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s cougar girlfriend, 55, yelled at ‘huge nostril’, 44, after they first met
Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Helena Seger are almost the picture perfect couple – but, after their first meeting, neither would have realised they would spend their lives together
It wasn’t quite love at first sight when Helena Seger clapped eyes on Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
In fact, Helena, who is 11 years the former Manchester United striker’s senior, was furious at his poorly parked Ferrari. The model and businesswoman had been left boxed in by the Swedish star’s flash supercar.
“He had parked his Ferrari badly in a car park in Malmo,” she recalled years down the line. “He had done so in a way that prevented my Mercedes from coming out. Quite gruffly, I told him to move it right away. And yes, he saw something that he liked.”
Helena added: “I noticed his big nose and the golden watch in his hand. I was not in a good mood and yelled at him.”
Their chance meeting in Malmo back in 2002 wasn’t quite the rom-com Hollywood opener – but the pair did fall in love.
“I think I like Zlatan because I stand up to him, I too have an important background and I have built my career with a lot of sacrifice,” she said.
The pair have had two children together, but are yet to tie the knot. Helena said: “Getting married could disturb my sense of independence. I don’t want to be labelled simply as the wife of a player, or the winner of a beauty contest.”
“I think people don’t know how much I have studied, worked and fought.”
Ibrahimovic, himself, revealed why he was yet to put a ring on her finger too: “I have [proposed to her]. She said no. This was a couple of years ago.
“I said, after 20 years, you deserve to be married with me. She said, ‘No, I don’t need to be married with you, to be with you’. She is strong, very strong.
“I think it’s cool because if you do that, you gain more respect from me, because I don’t have to win all the time.”
When asked whether he would propose to his partner again, Ibrahimovic responded: “No. She had one chance, she will not get a second chance. But she has two boys from me, so that’s even bigger than being married.”
Ibrahimovic, who is celebrating his 44th birthday on Friday (October 3), might have more time to spend with Helena – who also manages his property and financial affairs – after he hung up his boots in 2023.
Across his storied career, Ibrahimovic turned out for Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, AC Milan, PSG and Manchester United.
