Zlatan opens mega facility in Sweden: "I believe in the sport"

Padel Zenter, led by Zlatan Ibrahimović, has opened a new facility in Stockholm, Sweden.
– I truly believe in the sport, Zlatan tells Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter.

The past years have been marked by an over-establishment of padel facilities across Sweden, leading many to shut down. But now, Padel Zenter, with Zlatan Ibrahimović as one of its founders, is going against the tide with its new mega facility in Sollentuna, northern Stockholm. 

Zlatan: “Fastest growing sport”

Zlatan visited the facility yesterday and shared his thoughts on the new venture.

– First and foremost, it's because I like padel. I truly believe in the sport, Zlatan says, according to the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter.

– It is the fastest growing sport (in the world) and I want to give Sweden the opportunity to play, so that facilities are not just shut down because things aren’t going as well. If I’m going to brag, I think this is Sweden's best facility. If not the world’s. We have seven years of experience, and every facility has only gotten better.

Zlatan also pointed out the problem of over-establishment in Sweden, explaining that many have focused on business instead of the sport.

– What has happened in Sweden is that there’s been a flooding of padel facilities. Many have built and many have thought about business instead of the sport. We have done things a bit differently and focused on the sport, wanting to get people interested in padel and then giving them the chance to play. And not built 200 facilities and just pushed out facility after facility for the sake of it. No, the sport is the most important thing here, he tells the Swedish news channel TV4.

Focus on football in the padel facility

The new facility in Stockholm follows a renovation of Padel Zenter's hall in Örebro, Sweden, where the company recently introduced new sports opportunities. In addition to padel courts, there is now a 5x5 football pitch and three Zpeed Football areas. Zlatan describes the concept as a focus on the football players of the future.

– I want to bring out a new type of football player within five to ten years. To do that, I have to give them a platform, and this concept is called speedball, Zlatan tells DN.

– There’s a one-meter-high plexiglass, handball goals, and you play two against two or three against three. There are no lines, it’s nonstop play. You have to be creative in the game, it’s intense. It’s all about developing the individual player, both offensively and defensively, which is what we need more of in Sweden.

– This concept will change Swedish players. I’m one hundred percent sure about that. The collective aspect, that they can work on in teams where they can train on larger areas.