Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Football player

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Zlatan Ibrahimović (born 3 October 1981) is a Swedish professional footballer who plays as a striker for various clubs in all the major leagues and the Sweden national team. The clubs he played for: Malmö FF, Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, LA Galaxy and AC Milan. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest strikers of all time. Ibrahimović is one of the most decorated active footballers in the world, having won 31 trophies in his career. He has scored over 570 career goals, including more than 500 club goals, and has scored in each of the last four decades.

The ACL injury

If people knew the real injury, they would be in shock that I was even playing. It was more than the knee but I will keep it personal – that’s why I choose not to talk of it,” – Zlatan Ibrahimovic after his comeback.

On thursday 20 April, Ibrahimović sustained serious ligament damage in his right knee in a Europa League quarter-final against Anderlecht at Old Trafford.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s season is in doubt after suffering a serious-looking knee injury in Manchester United’s clash with Anderlecht. The Swedish striker landed awkwardly as he attempted to control a ball in the final seconds of normal time. Ibrahimovic’s knee appeared to hyperextend as he landed, with the striker in clear discomfort as he lay on the ground. Medical staff were called onto the pitch as the final whistle was blown but fortunately the striker was able to limp off. The Swede did at least manage to walk off but it did not look promising and the layoff may be a long one. He has just over a month before the Europa League final, should United get there, at the Friends Arena, Stockholm, the stadium where they are putting up a statue in his honour.

On Saturday 21 april, Manchester United released a statement confirming Ibrahimovic suffered “significant knee ligament damage,” although they declined to provide a timeline for his return to the pitch.

Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic will reportedly miss the rest of the season as a result of the knee injury he suffered against Anderlecht in the Europa League on Thursday. According to Sky Sports News HQ, the veteran forward has played his last match of the 2016-17 campaign.

BREAKING: @ManUtd forward @Ibra_official unlikely to play again this season due to knee injury sustained against Anderlecht - sources #SSNHQ pic.twitter.com/1Dm8cI7v3A
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) April 21, 2017

About the surgery

Doctor Freddie Fu was the man responsible for performing the surgery on Ibrahimovic’s knee. Since his very first operation in 1981, Fu – who moved to the US from Hong Kong to attend university in the 1970s – has racked up 20,000 of them. And 6,000 of those have been ACL-related.

Good news from Zlatan’s team that he has undergone successful knee surgery. pic.twitter.com/pdJZJacUU1
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) May 2, 2017

Dr Freddie Fu: “Zlatan is one of the top athletes I’ve ever touched, he’s in superb shape. He can still play for many years.” #MUFC pic.twitter.com/IwcqNdE4Lj

— Devils Latest (@Devils_Latest) May 12, 2017

Highlights & Awards

Career highlights and awards

Club
Ajax
Juventus
- Serie A: 2004–05, 2005–06 (both revoked by Calciopoli)
Inter Milan
- Serie A: 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09
- Supercoppa Italiana: 2006, 2008
Barcelona
AC Milan
- Serie A: 2010–11
- Supercoppa Italiana: 2011
Paris Saint-Germain
Manchester United
Individual
- Ballon d’Or Nominations: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
- UEFA Men’s Player of the Year Award: 2011 (8th place), 2013 (9th place), 2017 (10th place)
- The Best FIFA Men’s Player: 2016 (18th place), 2017 (14th place)
- IFFHS World’s Best Man Player of the Decade 2011–2020: 9th place
- IFFHS World’s Best Top Goal Scorer of the Second Decade (2011–2020): 4th place
- Golden Foot: 2012
- FIFA Puskás Award: 2013
- FIFA FIFPro World XI: 2013
- FIFA FIFPro World XI 2nd team: 2014, 2015, 2016
- FIFA FIFPro World XI 3rd team: 2017
- UEFA Team of the Year: 2007, 2009, 2013, 2014
- UEFA Ultimate Team of the Year (substitute; published 2015)
- UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 2012
- UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season: 2013–14
- UEFA Europa League Squad of the Season: 2016–17
- ESM Team of the Year: 2006–07, 2007–08, 2012–13, 2013–14
- EA Sports FIFA Team of the Year : 2013
- L’Équipe Journalists’ Best XI: 2008
- UEFA Euro 2004: Man of the Match: Italy vs Sweden
- UEFA Euro 2008: Man of the Match: Greece vs Sweden
- UEFA Euro 2012: Man of the Match: Sweden vs France
- UEFA Euro 2004: Goal of the Tournament: Italy vs Sweden
- UEFA Euro 2012: Goal of the Tournament: Sweden vs France
- UEFA Champions League top assist provider: 2012–13
- Eurosport Goal of the Year: 2004
- Club van 100
- Juventus Player of the Year: 2004–05
- Serie A Player of the Month: September 2007, December 2008, January 2012, October 2020
- Serie A Foreign Footballer of the Year: 2004–05, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2011–12
- Serie A Footballer of the Year: 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11
- Serie A Most Loved Player: 2005
- Serie A Team of the Year: 2010–11, 2011–12
- Serie A Goal of the Year: 2008
- Capocannoniere: 2008–09, 2011–12
- Supercoppa Italiana: Man of the match: 2011
- Gazzetta Sports Awards Legend: 2020
- AC Milan Hall of Fame
- Sportschau Goal of the Month Award: November 2012
- Sportschau Goal of the Year Award: 2012
- GQ Men of the Year: 2013
- SportAccord ‘Play for Change’ Award: 2015
- Ligue 1 Player of the Month: September 2012, January 2014, February 2014, March 2014, November 2015
- UNFP Just Fontaine Trophy Ligue 1 Best Forward of the Season: 2012–13
- Ligue 1 Best Foreign Player: 2012, 2013, 2014
- Ligue 1 Player of the Year: 2012–13, 2013–14, 2015–16^[
- Ligue 1 Team of the Year: 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16
- Ligue 1 Top scorer: 2012–13, 2013–14, 2015–16
- Ligue 1 Goal of the Year: 2014
- Étoile d’Or France Football: 2014, 2016
- Trophée des Champions Man of the Match: 2014
- Coupe de la Ligue Man of the Match: 2014–15
- Coupe de la Ligue Top scorer: 2014–15
- Coupe de France Top scorer: 2014–15, 2015–16
- Paris Saint-Germain Player of the Month: August 2012, September 2012, November 2013, January 2014, February 2015, November 2015, December 2015, January 2016, February 2016
- Paris Saint-Germain Hall of Fame
- Paris Saint-Germain Team of the History
- Medal of the City of Paris: 2016
- Eurosport European Player of the Month: August 2016
- Premier League Player of the Month: December 2016
- PFA Fans’ Premier League Player of the Month: December 2016
- EA Sports FIFA Premier League Team of the Season: 2016-17
- Manchester United Player of the Month: December 2016, February 2017
- Alan Hardaker Trophy: 2017
- EFL Cup top scorer: 2016–17
- MLS All-Star: 2018, 2019
- MLS Best XI: 2018, 2019
- MLS Newcomer of the Year: 2018
- MLS Goal of the Year: 2018
- MLS Greatest Goal: 2020
- Best MLS Player ESPY Award: 2019
- LA Galaxy Player of the Year: 2018, 2019
- LA Galaxy Golden Boot: 2018, 2019
- LA Galaxy Goal of the Year: 2018, 2019
- Pegasus Award: 2004
- Stor Grabb: 2004
- Guldbollen: 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2020
- Jerringpriset: 2007
- Fotbollskanalens hederspris: 2008
- International Swede of the Year Award: 2013
- Eliason Merit Award: 2018
- Malmö Walk of Fame: 2012
- Medal of the City of Malmö: 2015
- Swedish Newcomer of the Year: 2001
- Swedish Football Personality of the Year: 2002
- Swedish Forward of the Year: 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
- Swedish Male Athlete of the Year: 2008, 2010, 2013, 2015
- Swedish Goal of the Year: 2012, 2013
Records
Overall
- The only player to have scored at least a goal in De Klassieker in Netherlands, Derby della Madonninaand Derby d’Italia in Italy, El Clásico and Derbi barceloní in Spain, Le Classique in France, Manchester Derby and North-West Derby in England, El Tráfico and California Clásico in United States.
- The only player to score in the UEFA Champions League with six teams: Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, Milan and Paris Saint-Germain.
- The only player to play in the UEFA Champions League with seven teams: Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United.
- The only player to score on his Premier League, Serie A, La Liga, Ligue 1 and UEFA Champions League debut.
- The only player to have won 11 championships in four leagues: Eredivisie, Serie A, La Liga and Ligue 1.
- The only player to have scored 50 Serie A goals for both Inter Milan and Milan
- The only foreign player to have won Capocannoniere with two teams, in addition to two teams from the same city: Inter Milan (2008–09) and Milan (2011–12).
- One of three players, along with Roque Santa Cruz and Sebastián Abreu, to have scored in four decades: 1990s, 2000s, 2010s and 2020s.
- One of two players, along with Cristiano Ronaldo, to have scored a goal in every minute of a football match during their careers.
- One of three players, after Adrian Mutu and John Carew, to have scored in European competitions with seven different teams.
- One of three players, along with Ronaldinho and Neymar, to have scored at least one goal in El Clásicoin Spain and Le Classique in France during the 21st century.
- One of three players, along with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, to have reached double figures for league goals in Europe’s top five leagues in eleven consecutive seasons.
- One of four active players, along with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, to have reached over 550 goals in official competitions.
Barcelona
- The only player to score in his first five league matches.
Paris Saint-Germain
- Second-highest goalscorer in official competitions: 156 goals (October 2015 – January 2018)
- Only Paris Saint-Germain player to be top goalscorer in three Ligue 1 seasons (2012–13, 2013–14, 2015–16)
- Most Ligue 1 goals in a single season: 38 in 2015–16 season
- Fastest Ligue 1 hat-trick: 9 minutes (vs. Troyes, 13 March 2016)
- Longest goalscoring run in Ligue 1: 9 consecutive matches in 2015–16 season (shared with Vahid Halilhodžić)
- Most goals scored in a single season (all competitions): 50 in 2015–16 season
- All-time top scorer in Le Classique: 11 goals
Manchester United
- The second player (after Ian Storey-Moore in the 1971–72 season) to score in his first three league matches
- The second player (after Javier Hernández in the 2010–11 season) to score in the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, European competition and Community Shield in a single season (2016–17 season)
- The fourth player to reach 15 goals in the fewest matches (23 matches, behind only Ruud van Nistelrooy (19 matches), Dwight Yorke (20 matches) and Robin van Persie (21 matches))
Premier League
- Scored the 25,000th goal in Premier League history
- The third player to score 14 goals in his first 20 Premier League games (shared with Alan Shearer and Sergio Agüero)
- The oldest player to reach 15 goals in a single season (2016–17 season at 35 years and 125 days)
LA Galaxy
- Most MLS regular season goals in a season: 30 in 2019 season
Sweden
- All-time top goalscorer for Sweden national team
- Sweden’s top goalscorer in UEFA European Championship:
- Sweden’s only player to score in three consecutive UEFA European Championshiptournaments: 2004, 2008 and 2012
- Most Guldbollen (Swedish Male footballer of the Year) awards: 12

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Zlatan Ibrahimovic

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