Zlatan Ibrahimović facts for kids
Ibrahimović in 2018
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Zlatan Ibrahimović | ||
| Date of birth | 3 October 1981 | ||
| Place of birth | Malmö, Sweden | ||
| Height | 1.95 m | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1989–1991 | Malmö BI | ||
| 1991–1995 | FBK Balkan | ||
| 1995–1999 | Malmö FF | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1999–2001 | Malmö FF | 40 | (16) |
| 2001–2004 | Ajax | 74 | (35) |
| 2004–2006 | Juventus | 70 | (23) |
| 2006–2009 | Inter Milan | 88 | (57) |
| 2009–2011 | Barcelona | 29 | (16) |
| 2010–2011 | → AC Milan (loan) | 29 | (14) |
| 2011–2012 | AC Milan | 32 | (28) |
| 2012–2016 | Paris Saint-Germain | 122 | (113) |
| 2016–2018 | Manchester United | 33 | (17) |
| 2018–2019 | LA Galaxy | 56 | (52) |
| 2020–2023 | AC Milan | 64 | (34) |
| Total | 637 | (405) | |
| National team | |||
| 1999 | Sweden U18 | 4 | (1) |
| 2001 | Sweden U21 | 7 | (6) |
| 2001–2023 | Sweden | 122 | (62) |
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Zlatan Ibrahimović (born 3 October 1981) is a Swedish former professional footballer. He played as a striker. Zlatan is famous for his amazing acrobatic goals, powerful shots, and excellent ball control. Many people think he is one of the best strikers ever. He won 34 trophies during his career. He scored over 570 goals in total, with more than 500 for his clubs. He even scored goals in four different decades!
Zlatan started his career at Malmö FF in 1999. Two years later, he joined Ajax, where he won two league titles. He became known as a very promising young player. After Ajax, he moved to Juventus in Italy. Then, in 2006, he joined Inter Milan. There, he won three Serie A titles in a row. In 2009, he moved to Barcelona in a very expensive transfer. After just one season, he returned to Italy to play for AC Milan. He won another Serie A title with them.
In 2012, Zlatan joined Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in France. He helped them win their first Ligue 1 title in 19 years. He became a key player in their success in French football. During his four years at PSG, he won four league titles. He was also the top scorer in Ligue 1 for three seasons. In 2016, he moved to Manchester United in England. He won several trophies with them. Later, he played for LA Galaxy in the USA. He then returned to AC Milan in 2020, winning his fifth Serie A title in 2022.
Zlatan played over 100 games for the Swedish national team. He is Sweden's all-time top scorer with 62 goals. He played in two FIFA World Cups (2002, 2006) and four UEFA European Championships (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016). He won the Guldbollen (Swedish Player of the Year award) a record 12 times. His amazing 35-yard bicycle kick goal against England in 2013 won the FIFA Puskás Award. Many consider it one of the best goals ever.
Off the field, Zlatan is known for his confident personality. He often talks about himself in the third person.
Contents
Zlatan's Early Life and Football Beginnings
Zlatan Ibrahimović was born in Malmö, Sweden, on 3 October 1981. His father was from Bosnia, and his mother was from Croatia. They both moved to Sweden. Zlatan started playing football when he was six years old. He played for local clubs like FBK Balkan and Malmö BI.
When he was a teenager, Zlatan played for his hometown club Malmö FF. At 15, he almost stopped playing football to work at the docks. But his coach convinced him to keep playing. As a boy, his football hero was the Brazilian player Ronaldo. He also admired Gabriel Batistuta, another strong striker.
Zlatan's Club Adventures
Starting at Malmö FF
Zlatan signed his first contract with Malmö FF in 1996. He joined the main team in 1999. That year, Malmö FF was relegated to the second division. But they quickly returned to the top league the next season. Famous coaches like Arsène Wenger from Arsenal tried to sign Zlatan. But he ended up joining Ajax in the Netherlands in July 2001 for about €8.7 million.
Playing for Ajax
At first, Zlatan didn't play much for Ajax. But when a new coach, Ronald Koeman, arrived, Zlatan became a regular starter. Ajax won the league title in 2001–02. The next season, Zlatan scored two goals in his Champions League debut. He scored five goals in total as Ajax reached the quarter-finals.
In 2004, Zlatan scored an incredible goal against NAC Breda. He dribbled past five players, and it was voted the Goal of the Year by Eurosport viewers.
Moving to Juventus
Zlatan moved from Ajax to Juventus in Italy for €16 million. He quickly became a key player, scoring 16 goals in his first season. Juventus won the league title that year. Zlatan was named the best foreign player in Serie A. In November 2005, he won the Guldbollen award for the best Swedish footballer.
His second season at Juventus was not as strong. He played more as a team player, helping with passes rather than just scoring. Juventus later lost their league titles due to a scandal. Zlatan decided to leave the club.
Success with Inter Milan
On 10 August 2006, Zlatan joined Inter Milan for €24.8 million. He said he had supported Inter since he was young. He scored in his first Serie A game for Inter. In his first season, he was Inter's top scorer with 15 goals. Inter won the league title with a record 97 points.
In 2007, Zlatan signed a new contract. It made him one of the highest-paid footballers in the world. In 2008, he scored two goals on the final day of the season to help Inter win another league title. He was named both Serie A Footballer of the Year and Foreign Footballer of the Year.
In his third season, Zlatan scored many important goals. One amazing goal was a backheeled shot against Bologna. It was voted Serie A Goal of the Year. He finished the 2008–09 season as the league's top scorer with 25 goals. Inter won another league title. Zlatan won the Footballer of the Year awards again.
Time at Barcelona
In July 2009, Zlatan moved to Barcelona in Spain. It was a huge transfer deal. He signed a five-year contract. He was presented to over 60,000 fans at Camp Nou.
Zlatan started the 2009–10 season well. He scored in his first five league matches, setting a team record. He scored his first Champions League goal for Barcelona in October. He helped Barcelona win the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup.
However, his relationship with coach Pep Guardiola became difficult. Zlatan felt that the team's playing style changed to suit Lionel Messi more. He said Guardiola stopped talking to him. He left Barcelona after just one season.
Return to AC Milan
On 28 August 2010, Zlatan joined AC Milan on loan. He wanted to win the Champions League with Milan. He scored his first goals for Milan in a Champions League match. In November, he scored against his old club Inter in the Derby della Madonnina.
Zlatan helped Milan win the Serie A title in his first season back. He received a three-match ban in March 2011 for punching an opponent. He got another three-match ban in February 2012 for swearing at a referee. Despite these issues, he was a key player.
In the 2011–12 season, Zlatan continued to score many goals. He scored his 100th Serie A goal in November 2011. He finished the season as the Serie A top scorer with 28 goals in 32 matches.
Dominance at Paris Saint-Germain
On 17 July 2012, Zlatan joined Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in France. The transfer fee was €20 million. He became one of the highest-paid footballers in the world. He said he wanted to be part of the club's history and win trophies.
Zlatan scored two goals in his first Ligue 1 match for PSG. He became the first player to score for six different clubs in the Champions League. He scored two goals in the big "Le Classique" derby against Marseille. In January 2013, he was given the number 10 jersey.
PSG won the Ligue 1 title in May 2013, their first since 1994. Zlatan was the league's top scorer with 30 goals. He was also named Ligue 1's Player of the Year.
In the 2013–14 season, Zlatan scored an amazing backheel goal against Bastia. It was voted Ligue 1's Goal of the Season. He scored four goals in a Champions League match against Anderlecht. He became the 11th player to score four times in a Champions League game. PSG won their second consecutive league title. Zlatan was top scorer again with 26 goals. He won Player of the Year for the second time.
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In 2014–15, Zlatan helped PSG win the French domestic quadruple (four trophies). He scored his 100th goal for the club in April 2015. He became PSG's second all-time leading goalscorer.
On 4 October 2015, Zlatan became PSG's all-time leading goalscorer with 110 goals. He scored twice against Marseille to break the record. He also became the club's all-time top scorer in the French first division. In March 2016, he scored four goals in a 9–0 win that sealed PSG's league title. He announced he would leave PSG at the end of the season. He joked he would only stay if they replaced the Eiffel Tower with a statue of him. He finished the season as Ligue 1's top scorer for the third time. He scored 38 league goals, a new club record. PSG won another domestic treble.
Time at Manchester United
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On 1 July 2016, Zlatan joined Manchester United for free. He was given the number 9 jersey. He scored the winning goal in the 2016 FA Community Shield against Leicester City. This was his 10th domestic super cup, won in a fifth country. He scored in his Premier League debut a week later. He became the oldest player to score 15 goals in a Premier League season.
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In February 2017, Zlatan scored his first Manchester United hat-trick in the UEFA Europa League. He scored two goals in the 2017 EFL Cup Final to help United win the League Cup. This was his second trophy with the club. In April, he suffered a serious knee injury. This injury ended his season. Manchester United won the Europa League, which was Zlatan's first major European title.
He signed a new one-year contract in August 2017 and wore the number 10 jersey. He returned to play in November. On 22 March 2018, he left Manchester United.
Playing for LA Galaxy
On 23 March 2018, Zlatan signed for Major League Soccer (MLS) club LA Galaxy in the United States. He announced his arrival with a full-page newspaper ad that said, "Dear Los Angeles, you're welcome."
He made his debut on 31 March against Los Angeles FC. He scored two goals, including an amazing 45-yard half-volley. He helped the Galaxy win 4–3 after being three goals down. He scored his first MLS hat-trick in July. In September, he scored his 500th professional career goal with another acrobatic strike. He was named MLS Newcomer of the Year and won MLS Goal of the Year.
In 2019, Zlatan became the team captain. He scored two penalty goals in March. This made him the Swedish player with the most goals in football history, passing Gunnar Nordahl. In July, he scored a perfect hat-trick against Los Angeles FC. He finished the 2019 season with 30 goals, a club record. He left LA Galaxy in November 2019.
Final Return to AC Milan
On 27 December 2019, Zlatan returned to AC Milan for free. He made his first appearance on 6 January 2020. He scored his first goal since returning on 11 January. This goal meant he had scored in four different decades (1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s). In February, he became the oldest goalscorer in the Derby della Madonnina.
He made his 100th appearance for Milan in July 2020. He became the first player to score 50 Serie A goals for both Milan clubs. In August, he became the oldest player to score at least ten goals in a Serie A season. He extended his contract until 2021.
In the 2020–21 season, Zlatan continued to score important goals. He scored twice against Inter in October. He reached 500 and 501 total club career goals in February 2021. He signed another contract extension in April. However, he got a knee injury in May, which ended his season.
On 12 September 2021, Zlatan returned from injury and scored against Lazio. At 39 years old, he became the oldest non-Italian player to score in Serie A history. In October, he became the fourth player to score a Serie A goal after his 40th birthday. In November, he became the oldest player to score two goals in a Serie A game. In December, he reached 300 career league goals across Europe's top five leagues.
On 22 May 2022, Milan won the Serie A title for the first time in 11 years. Zlatan was part of this success, contributing eight goals. He dedicated the title to his agent and friend, Mino Raiola, who had recently passed away. Zlatan later revealed he played through a knee injury for six months that season. He had surgery and was out for several months.
He signed a one-year contract extension in July 2022. He returned to play in February 2023. On 18 March, he became the oldest goalscorer in Serie A history at 41 years old. On 4 June, Zlatan announced his retirement from football after Milan's final game of the season.
Playing for Sweden
Zlatan could have played for Sweden, Bosnia and Herzegovina, or Croatia. He chose Sweden. He made his debut for Sweden in January 2001. In October 2001, he scored his first international goal. Sweden qualified for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Zlatan played twice in the tournament.
UEFA Euro 2004
Sweden qualified for UEFA Euro 2004. Zlatan scored three goals in the qualifying games. In the tournament, he scored a penalty against Bulgaria. He then scored an amazing back-heel goal against Italy. This goal was named the best goal of the tournament. Sweden reached the quarter-finals but lost to the Netherlands in a penalty shootout.
2006 FIFA World Cup
Zlatan scored eight goals during the 2006 World Cup qualifying. He did not score in the main tournament. Sweden was knocked out by Germany.
UEFA Euro 2008
Zlatan had a disagreement with his coach in 2006 and refused to play for a while. He returned in 2007 and won the Swedish Golden Ball award. He ended a two-year goal drought at UEFA Euro 2008, scoring against Greece and Spain. Sweden was eliminated in the group stage.
2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifying
Zlatan scored a last-minute goal against Hungary in 2009. But Sweden failed to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
UEFA Euro 2012
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Zlatan was named captain of the national team for UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying. He scored a hat-trick against Finland. At the UEFA Euro 2012 finals, he scored against Ukraine. He then scored a fantastic volley against France, which was considered the goal of the tournament. Even though Sweden was eliminated, Zlatan was named to the Team of the Tournament.
2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifying
In October 2012, Zlatan scored Sweden's first goal as they came back from 4–0 down to draw 4–4 against Germany. On 14 November 2012, he scored all four goals in a 4–2 win over England. His fourth goal was a 35-yard overhead kick with his back to goal. This goal won him the 2013 FIFA Puskás Award for Goal of the Year. It is often called one of the best goals ever.
Sweden failed to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup after losing to Portugal in a play-off. Zlatan famously said, "One thing is for sure, a World Cup without me is nothing to watch."
Sweden's Top Scorer and Retirement
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On 4 September 2014, Zlatan scored his 50th international goal. This made him Sweden's all-time leading goalscorer. He scored 11 goals in the Euro 2016 qualifying games.
On 21 June 2016, he announced he would retire from international football after Euro 2016. Sweden was eliminated in the group stage. Zlatan played every minute but did not score any goals.
Comeback to the National Team
In November 2020, Zlatan hinted he might return to the Swedish national team. On 15 March 2021, he was included in the squad for 2022 World Cup qualifiers. He tweeted, "The return of the God." On 25 March, he became the oldest man to play for Sweden's national team. He provided an assist in a 1–0 win against Georgia.
However, a knee injury kept him out of the UEFA Euro 2020 squad. Sweden failed to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Zlatan made one more appearance for Sweden in March 2023. He became the oldest player to appear in a European Championship qualifier. On 4 June 2023, he announced his retirement from all football.
Zlatan's Unique Style of Play
Zlatan is known for being a very complete attacker. He is tall, strong, and agile. He is good at heading the ball and has excellent ball control. He can score goals and also create chances for his teammates. He often plays as a main striker. But he can also play deeper to help build up attacks.
He can shoot powerfully and accurately with both feet. He is also good at penalties and free kicks. Despite his height, he is very agile. He has scored many amazing goals with acrobatic kicks and volleys. This earned him the nickname Ibracadabra in Italy.
Zlatan is not super fast over short distances. But he is still a quick player. He has been praised for his leadership and how long he has stayed fit. His former coach, Fabio Capello, said Zlatan worked hard to improve his finishing.
Many people consider Zlatan one of the best strikers of his time. He has scored in many big matches and derbies in different countries. He is the only player to have scored for six different clubs in the Champions League. He is also the only player to score on his debut in the Premier League, Serie A, La Liga, Ligue 1, and Champions League.
Zlatan is known for his strong mindset and competitive personality. He has sometimes been criticized for his arrogance. He has been compared to Marco van Basten because of their similar playing styles. But Zlatan says his main idol was Ronaldo.
Zlatan's Life Off the Pitch
Zlatan has a partner, Helena Seger, and two sons. He has a home in Malmö, Sweden. He has an honorary black belt in taekwondo. He is fluent in five languages: Swedish, Bosnian, English, Spanish, and Italian. He identifies as a Catholic Christian.
The name "Zlatan" was trademarked in 2003. This means he has exclusive rights to the name for certain products.
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Zlatan has a contract with Nike. He has appeared in their TV ads with other famous players. He has his sons' names and birth dates on his football boots. In 2007, he helped fund "Zlatan Court" in his hometown of Malmö. It's a football pitch with modern facilities. In 2008, he donated new kits to his youth club, FBK Balkan.
In 2012, Zlatan was honored with his name on Malmö's "Walk of Fame of Sports." In 2014, the Swedish Post Office released postage stamps featuring him.
In 2014, Zlatan paid US $51,000 to send the Swedish national football team for intellectually disabled people to a championship in Brazil. In 2015, he took off his shirt after scoring a goal to show temporary tattoos of 50 names. This was to raise awareness for hunger around the world with the United Nations World Food Programme.
Zlatan is very active on social media. He has over 55 million followers on Instagram. In 2016, a documentary called Becoming Zlatan was released. It followed his early career.
In 2019, a statue of Zlatan was unveiled in his hometown of Malmö. It is 8 feet 9 inches tall and weighs almost 500 kg.
Zlatan's Background
Zlatan's father is a Muslim from Bosnia, and his mother is a Catholic from Croatia. They met in Sweden. His parents divorced when he was young. He spent more time with his father. Zlatan has said that his family background has nothing to do with football. He believes football is a religion where everyone is welcome.
In 2005, Italian media tried to create a rivalry between Zlatan and a Serbian player. Zlatan said he had no interest in nationalism. This was partly because of his mixed family background.
In February 2021, Zlatan was in the stands during a match in Serbia. Some fans shouted insults at him. The club later apologized, and UEFA investigated the incident.
Tattoos
Zlatan has many tattoos. He has his surname in Arabic on his right arm. He also has the names of his sons, Vincent and Maximilian. He has Buddhist tattoos for protection and a roaring lion. He has the phrase "Only God can judge me" on his ribcage.
Images for kids
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Ibrahimović and Mario Balotelli playing against Palermo in 2009
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Ibrahimović preparing to strike a free kick for Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League with Xavi (right)
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Ibrahimović signing autographs for fans in 2010
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Ibrahimović during a Milan game in December 2011
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Ibrahimović‘s number 11 AC Milan jersey in the San Siro museum. He scored for both AC Milan and Inter Milan in the Derby della Madonnina.
