Maignan Renewal Nears Completion with Optimism at AC Milan

Armand Duplantis, the Olympic and world champion pole vaulter, recently gave an extensive interview to *Milan TV*. As a devoted supporter of AC Milan, he shared insights into his connection with football.

Discussing his bond with the sport, Duplantis stated, “I think it’s a beautiful sport. I’ve spent much of my life in the United States, where football wasn’t as deeply rooted in the local culture. But every time I returned to Sweden, it was the only thing my cousin and I watched. That’s where I began to fall in love with football, and my interest kept growing.” His comments were reported by *Milan TV*.

When asked if he ever played football, he replied, “Not recently, no, it’s been a long time. I played when I was younger, but there wasn’t a big football culture where I grew up. I would have liked to play more because I think it’s truly a beautiful game. I feel like I would have liked to delve deeper, but I was simply too good at pole vaulting and pursued that sport.”

Regarding the potential role he would have played on the field, he said, “I would probably be a winger, using my speed to my advantage because I’m fast. It’s definitely the best quality I could bring to the field.”

When speaking about Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Duplantis was effusive in his praise: “No one is greater than Zlatan, especially in Sweden he’s the greatest of all, no one can compare.” His admiration for the Swedish football legend was evident in his words, as reported by *Milan TV*.

He reminisced about receiving compliments from Ibrahimovic, sharing, “It’s strange when I think about how, as a child, I admired him, he was my idol. It’s truly a wonderful thing.”

On the topic of a winning mentality, he observed, “He has a slightly different mindset from mine, but I think we both have a hunger for victories. It’s what everyone has, that desire to be the best or among the best at what you do. The hunger for victories is important, but I think it also comes down to passion, and you really have to love what you do.”

For more on this interview, visit MilanNews24.com.