'I proposed after 20 years, but she said no' – Ibrahimovic opens up on relationship

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has revealed that his long-time partner Helena Seger turned down his marriage proposal after they spent two decades together, insisting that their bond does not need a wedding ceremony to prove its strength.

The former Sweden captain opened up about his personal life during an interview with Piers Morgan, in which he discussed his relationship with Seger, with whom he has been for more than 20 years and with whom he shares two sons.

Ibrahimovic, known for his confidence and outspoken personality on the pitch, admitted that he once decided the time was right to make their relationship official.

However, Seger had a different view.

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"I have asked her to marry me. I told her that after twenty years, you deserve to be married to me, but she said she doesn't have to marry me to be with me. She is very strong,” he recalled.

Rather than being upset by the rejection, Ibrahimovic said the decision increased his admiration for her.

"It's cool because if you do that you gain more respect from me. Because I don't have to win all the time,” he said.

The former AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United striker also joked that marriage comes with risks.

Nonetheless, Ibrahimovic credited Seger for standing by him throughout his journey, revealing that when he moved to Italy early in his career, he encouraged her to join him because he believed they could build something together.

He said her patience, maturity and belief in his future played a major role in keeping their relationship strong for more than two decades.

Watch the video below:

“The mother of my two sons is 11 years older than me. We’ve been together since I was 20. I think she stayed with me despite how childish I was because she saw something in me. 😂 I didn’t marry her for 25 years because I didn’t want to lose 50% of my assets. When I finally… pic.twitter.com/cjYP6y0KYr

— carter🌚 (@carter8f) July 21, 2026