Zlatan Ibrahimović
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Zlatan Ibrahimović, born on October 3, 1981, is a Swedish former professional footballer widely recognized as one of the greatest strikers of all time. Here are key points about his career achievements:
Club Career:
- Ibrahimović began his career at Malmö FF in 1999, later signing for Ajax in 2001, where he gained prominence as one of Europe's most promising forwards.
- He played for Juventus (2004-2006) and Inter Milan (2006-2009), winning three consecutive Serie A titles with Inter.
- In 2009, he joined Barcelona, winning La Liga in his first season but returned to Italy with AC Milan the following year.
- His stint at Paris Saint-Germain (2012-2016) saw him win four consecutive Ligue 1 titles and become the club's all-time leading goalscorer at that time.
- Ibrahimović joined Manchester United in 2016, securing his first European honor with the club. He later played for LA Galaxy in MLS before rejoining AC Milan in 2020 and winning his fifth Serie A title in 2022.
International Career:
- Represented Sweden at multiple FIFA World Cups and UEFA European Championships from 2002 to 2016.
- Ibrahimović is Sweden's all-time leading goalscorer with 62 goals in over 100 appearances for the national team.
- Awarded Guldbollen (Golden Ball) as the Swedish player of the year 12 times, including 10 consecutive years from 2007 to 2016.
- His 35-yard bicycle kick goal against England in 2012 won the FIFA Puskás Award for the best goal of the year.
Individual Accolades:
- Named in the FIFA FIFPro World XI in 2013 and the UEFA Team of the Year in 2007, 2009, 2013, and 2014.
- Finished fourth in the FIFA Ballon d'Or in 2013.
- In 2015, UEFA recognized him as one of the best players never to win the UEFA Champions League.
- FourFourTwo magazine named him the third-greatest player never to win the UEFA Champions League in 2019.
Legacy and Recognition:
- In December 2014, Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter ranked Ibrahimović as the second-greatest Swedish sportsperson ever, following tennis player Björn Borg.
- Known for his brash persona, outspoken comments, and a tendency to refer to himself in the third person.
Zlatan Ibrahimović left an indelible mark on football with his skill, charisma, and prolific goal-scoring record throughout his illustrious career.
References;
- "FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2009 presented by Toyota: List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. 1 December 2009. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 June 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
- "Ibrahimovic Zlatan". Paris Saint-Germain F.C. Archived from the original on 2 May 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
- Johnson, Jonathan (9 May 2018). "Dani Alves wins 38th trophy but knee injury could cost him shot at World Cup this summer". ESPN. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
- "Iniesta's 32 trophies at Barça". Barcelona: FC Barcelona. 21 May 2018. Archived from the original on 27 May 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
- Bailey, Ryan (21 October 2013). "Zlatan Ibrahimovic's 10 Best Goals". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
- "Ten great EURO moments: Ibrahimović's volley". UEFA.com. 9 June 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
- Spencer, Jamie (8 June 2021). "The best goals in European Championship history". 90min.com. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
- "The 100 best footballers in the world 2013". The Guardian. 20 December 2013. Archived from the original on 4 May 2019. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
- Mohamed, Majid (19 May 2015). "The best not to have won the Champions League". UEFA.com. Archived from the original on 31 May 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
- Lea, Greg (28 May 2019). "The 25 best players never to win the Champions League. #3 Zlatan Ibrahimović". FourFourTwo. Archived from the original on 29 August 2018. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
- "Zlatan Ibrahimovic: Striker fumes as Borg is top sporting Swede". BBC Sport. 23 December 2014. Archived from the original on 15 March 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
- Ibrahimovic, Zlatan (2013). I Am Zlatan. London: Penguin. p. 55.
- "Zlatan Ibrahimovic". Biography. Archived from the original on 19 April 2018. Retrieved 19 April 2018.