Former Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has revealed that his fiancée Helena Seger turned down his marriage proposal despite them dating for over 20 years.

Ibrahimovic made this revelation during an interview with Piers Morgan on Piers Morgan Uncensored, stating that he would never again ask for her hand in marriage, as that chapter had closed.

“She said no. This happened a couple of years ago when I told her that after 20 years, she deserved to be married to me. She replied, ‘I don’t need to be married to you to be with you,'” Ibrahimovic recounted.

Ibrahimovic and Helena have been together since 2002. The 52-year-old met the 41-year-old retired striker in a parking lot when he had blocked her car by parking his Ferrari terribly.

The couple has two sons together – Maximilian, 16, and Vincent, 14. They both now believe that their sons are sufficient to demonstrate the strength of their relationship and do not require a marriage certificate.

“She said, ‘Listen, I don’t need to marry you to prove that we are together and have two boys.’ To be honest, I don’t need a piece of paper to show that she is mine,” he added.

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In a previous interview, Helena had made it clear that she did not want to get married, let alone marry a footballer like Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

She argued that marriage would compromise her sense of identity and the independence she values. Living with the former Barcelona player is no easy feat, and it’s just as challenging as living with herself.

“Getting married can undermine my sense of independence. I don’t want to be labeled as just a player’s wife. People should understand how much I’ve studied, worked, and fought. It’s not easy to live with him, but I admit, it’s not easy to live with myself either,” she stated.