Zlatan Ibrahimovic digs at Rebecca Lowe and Crystal Palace
Zlatan Ibrahimovic sparked debate on FOX Sports when he called Maxence Lacroix a "Crystal Palace legend" and added it was "not difficult to be," a barb that appeared aimed at co-host Rebecca Lowe, an avid Palace fan, during Spain's 2-0 World Cup win over France. The line landed while Lacroix was covering for injured William Saliba, turning a routine defensive note into viral World Cup chatter.
Key Takeaways
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic labeled Maxence Lacroix a "Crystal Palace legend" and joked it is "not difficult to be."
- FOX Sports co-host Rebecca Lowe is an avid Crystal Palace supporter, so the quip read as a dig.
- The remark came on air during Spain's 2-0 win over tournament favorites France.
- Lacroix starred for Palace's Conference League winners before serving as France's third-choice center-back.
What did Zlatan Ibrahimovic say about Crystal Palace?
On the FOX Sports panel hosted by Rebecca Lowe, alongside Thierry Henry and Alexi Lalas, Zlatan Ibrahimovic highlighted French defender Maxence Lacroix after Saliba went down with a back injury in the first half.
"Maxence Lacroix. Crystal Palace legend. Not difficult to be," he said, according to talkSPORT.
Lowe is an avid fan of the South London club, which won the UEFA Europa Conference League last season—the first European trophy in Crystal Palace history. That context is why the throwaway praise sounded like a brutal dig.
Why does the dig at Rebecca Lowe matter?
Ibrahimovic has been a viral sensation for FOX, which paid $485 million for English-language World Cup rights across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Much of the buzz has come from shade aimed at Lalas or skill showcases with Henry. This time Lowe appeared to be the target.
For fans of football celebrity culture and high-end lifestyles, moments like this sit beside coverage of star-driven markets in luxury real estate and dream homes, where World Cup faces routinely dominate the conversation.
How does Maxence Lacroix fit the Palace story?
Lacroix played a pivotal role in Oliver Glasner's back line, making 55 appearances in all competitions, scoring three goals—two in the European run—and adding three assists. At the World Cup he has been third choice behind Saliba and Dayot Upamecano, though he played all 90 minutes in France's 4-1 group-stage win over Norway after Didier Deschamps rotated a side that had already won Group I.
Spain sealed the final berth with Mikel Oyarzabal's penalty and a second-half finish from Tottenham's Pedro Porro, booking their first World Cup final since 2010. France lacked conviction despite a star attack led by Golden Boot leader Kylian Mbappe, plus Michael Olise, Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembele, and Desire Doue.
Have FOX's World Cup ratings backed the big-name panel?
Nielsen data reported via The Hollywood Reporter showed all four quarterfinals topped the previous English-language U.S. World Cup quarterfinal high. England versus Norway led with 21.8 million viewers, and FOX averaged 15.64 million for the quarterfinals—about a 150 percent jump from the 6.25 million average in 2022. Ibrahimovic's sharp one-liners remain part of that appointment-TV package.