Zlatan Ibrahimović (born 3 October 1981) is a
SwedishSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
football player of
BosnianBosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( or (Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian Latin: Bosna i Hercegovina; Serbian Cyrillic: Босна и Херцеговина) is a country in Southeast Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula...
and
CroatiaCroatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a country in southeast Europe, at the crossroads of the Pannonian Plain, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean Sea. Its capital is Zagreb...
n parentage who plays for
SpanishSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.
[The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
La LigaThe Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, in terms of sponsorship, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional football league in Spain...
club
BarcelonaFútbol Club Barcelona , also known simply as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça , is a football club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The team was founded in 1899 by a group of Swiss, English and Spanish men led by Joan Gamper. The club has become a Catalan institution, hence the motto "Més que...
and the
Swedish national teamThe Swedish national football team is the national football team of Sweden and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association.-History:...
.
As of February 2009, Ibrahimović, along with
KakáRicardo Izecson dos Santos Leite , commonly known as Kaká, is a Brazilian football midfielder who currently plays for Real Madrid and the Brazilian national team. He is widely considered as one of the best footballers of his generation, often drawing comparisons in style and ability to other great...
, were the highest salaried football players in the world with an annual pay of
€The euro is the official currency of 16 of the 27 Member States of the European Union . The states, known collectively as the Eurozone, are Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain...
9 million. Ibrahimović won the
CapocannoniereThe Capocannoniere is the name given to the highest goalscorer in Italian football. The Serie A title is currently held by Zlatan Ibrahimović.-Serie A:...
on 31 May, 2009 with 25 domestic goals during
the seasonThe 2008–09 Serie A season was the seventy-seventh since its establishment. It began on 30 August 2008 and ended on 31 May 2009, with the announcement of the list of fixtures made on 25 July 2008...
. He currently holds the record for the second highest transfer fee in football history, with a total of €69 million.
Early life
Ibrahimović was born to a
BosnianThe Bosniaks or Bosniacs are a South Slavic ethnic group, living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a smaller autochthonous population also present in the Sandžak, Croatia, and the Republic of Macedonia. Bosniaks are typically characterized by their tie to the Bosnian historical region,...
father, Šefik Ibrahimović, and a
CroatianCroats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 5 million Croats living in the southern Central Europe region, along the east bank of the Adriatic Sea and an estimated 9 million throughout the world...
mother, Jurka Gravić, who emigrated to Sweden, where they first met. Ibrahimović grew up in
RosengårdRosengård, literally "Rose garden", is a city district in Malmö, Sweden. As of 1 January 2007, the population was 21,955, of which 60 percent were born outside of Sweden...
, a
MalmöMalmö is the third most populous city in Sweden, situated in its southernmost province of Scania.Malmö is the seat of Malmö Municipality and the capital of Skåne County. The administrative entity for most of the city is Malmö Municipality which has 290 007 inhabitants in eight different...
neighbourhood known for its immigrant communities, along with his three sisters and two brothers. After receiving his football boots, Ibrahimović began playing football at the age of six, alternating between local junior clubs
Malmö BIFC Rosengård is a football club from the Rosengård suburb of Malmö, Sweden. The club was founded in 2001 through a merger between Malmö BI and Turk Anadolu FF as Malmö Anadolu BI . After the 2008 season the club was renamed FC Rosengård...
and
FBK BalkanFBK Balkan is a football club, representing the Rosengård neighbourhood of Malmö, Sweden. The club was founded in 1962. It currently plays Division 3 Södra Götaland....
While in his early teens, he was a regular in his hometown club
Malmö FFMalmö FF is a Swedish football club located in Malmö. The club, formed on 24 February 1910, has been awarded 15 national championship titles and 14 national cup titles. Malmö FF was the runner-up in the 1979 European Champions Cup final, which they lost 1-0 to Nottingham Forest...
. At the age of 15, Ibrahimović was close to quitting his football career, in favor of working at the docks in Malmö, but his manager convinced him to continue playing. Ibrahimović successfully completed junior high school in the ninth grade, and though he was admitted to Borgarskolan, he soon dropped out of high school to focus on his football career.
Malmö FF (1996-2001)
Ibrahimović signed his first contract with his hometown club
Malmö FFMalmö FF is a Swedish football club located in Malmö. The club, formed on 24 February 1910, has been awarded 15 national championship titles and 14 national cup titles. Malmö FF was the runner-up in the 1979 European Champions Cup final, which they lost 1-0 to Nottingham Forest...
in 1996, and moved up to the senior side for the 1999 season of
AllsvenskanAllsvenskan is the highest league in the league system of Swedish football. The league was created in 1924. Before that, the top league in Sweden had been called Svenska Serien. Since 2008 season 16 teams have taken part instead of 14 previously.- Status :The champions of the Allsvenskan are...
, Sweden's top-flight league. That season, Malmö finished 13th in the league and were relegated to the second division, but returned to the top flight the next season.
ArsenalArsenal Football Club are an English professional football club based in Holloway, North London...
coach
Arsène WengerArsène Wenger, OBE is a French football manager who has managed English Premier League side Arsenal since 1996...
unsuccessfully tried to persuade Ibrahimović to join, while Ajax coach
Leo BeenhakkerLeo Beenhakker is an international Dutch football coach, who is the current Technical Director of Feyenoord.- Coaching career :...
also expressed interest in the player after watching him in a training match against Norwegian side
Moss FKMoss Fotballklubb is a Norwegian football club, founded on August 28, 1906. Moss currently plays in the second division in Norway, Adeccoligaen. Their last stint in the Norwegian Premier League was in 2002...
. On 22 March 2001, a deal between Ajax and Malmö regarding Ibrahimović's transfer to Amsterdam was announced, and in July, Ibrahimović officially joined Ajax for €7.8 million.
Ajax (2001-2004)
Ibrahimović received little playing time under manager
Co AdriaanseJacobson "Co" Adriaanse is a Dutch football manager and former football player. He is currently without a club after leaving Red Bull Salzburg at the end of a championship winning season.-Playing career:...
, but when Adriaanse was sacked on 29 November 2001, new coach
Ronald KoemanRonald Koeman is a former Dutch footballer and current manager of AZ. He is the younger brother of former Feyenoord coach Erwin Koeman and the son of former Dutch international Martin Koeman. He was known for his rocket free kicks and long passing.-Club career:In 1980 Koeman started his...
inserted Ibrahimović into the starting lineup as Ajax won the 2001-02 Eredivisie title. The next season, Ibrahimović scored twice in a 2-1 victory over perennial French champions
Olympique LyonnaisOlympique Lyonnais is a French football club based in Lyon. They play in France's highest football division, Ligue 1....
in his
Champions LeagueThe 2002-03 UEFA Champions League was the 11th season of UEFA's premier European club football tournament, the UEFA Champions League, since its rebranding in 1992, and the 48th European Cup tournament overall...
debut on 17 September 2002. He scored four Champions League goals overall as Ajax fell to
AC MilanAssociazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan and as just Milan in Italy, is an Italian professional football club based in Milan, Lombardy...
in the quarter-finals. In his final season with Ajax, Ibrahimović's profile rose when he scored a breathtaking goal against
NAC BredaNAC Breda, simply often known as NAC, is a Dutch professional football club, based in Breda, The Netherlands. NAC Breda play in the Rat Verlegh Stadium, named after their most important player, Antoon 'Rat' Verlegh. They play in the Dutch Eredivisie and are known by the fierce and fanatic support...
on 22 August 2004, a goal that was eventually voted the "Goal of the Year" by
EurosportEurosport is a European sports satellite and cable network, available in 59 countries and broadcasting in 20 different languages. It is owned and operated by the TF1 Group....
viewers. He netted only once in the 2003-04 Champions League (against
Celta de VigoReal Club Celta de Vigo, S.A.D , commonly known simply as Celta Vigo is a Galician football club from Vigo. It was founded on March 28, 1923 by merging Real Vigo Sporting and Real Club Fortuna de Vigo. They currently play in Spain's Second Division....
on 22 October) as Ajax were eliminated in the group stage.
On 18 August 2004, Ibrahimović injured fellow Ajax teammate
Rafael van der VaartRafael Ferdinand van der Vaart is a Dutch footballer who currently plays for La Liga club Real Madrid, and the Netherlands National Football Team. His preferred position is central midfield as playmaker but is capable of operating on both sides of the midfield...
during an international match against the
NetherlandsThe Netherlands national football team is the national football team of the Netherlands and is controlled by the Royal Netherlands Football Association. It won Euro 88 and reached two consecutive World Cup finals in 1974 and 1978 but lost both finals to their respective host nations, West Germany...
, which led to accusations from van der Vaart that Ibrahimović had hurt him intentionally. This led to Ibrahimović's sudden sale to
JuventusJuventus Football Club , commonly referred to as Juventus and familiarly as Juve, is an Italian professional football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
on 31 August.
Juventus (2004-2006)
Ibrahimović moved from Ajax to
JuventusJuventus Football Club , commonly referred to as Juventus and familiarly as Juve, is an Italian professional football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
for a €16 million transfer fee. He was promptly inserted into the starting eleven due in part to top scorer
David TrezeguetDavid Sergio Trezeguet is a French-Argentinian football striker who currently plays for Juventus of the Italian Serie A and formerly for the French national team.-Club career:...
's injury problems, and scored sixteen goals. Near the end of the season, Juventus reportedly rejected a €70 million bid for him from
Real MadridReal Madrid Club de Fútbol is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. It is the most successful team in Spanish football and was voted by FIFA as the most successful club of the 20th century, having won a record thirty-one La Liga titles, seventeen Spanish Cups, a record nine European...
, which was later revealed to be a
publicity stuntA publicity stunt is a planned event designed to attract the public's attention to the event's organizers or their cause. Publicity stunts can be professionally organized or set up by amateurs...
initiated by Ibrahimović's agent, Mino Raiola, in order to increase his market value. On 14 November 2005, he was awarded the
GuldbollenGuldbollen, , award given by the daily tabloid Aftonbladet and the Swedish Football Association to the best male Swedish footballer each year. The female equivalent is Diamantbollen.- Winners :...
, a prize awarded to the best Swedish footballer of the year.
The following season was poor compared to his first season; his role in Juventus' attack changed, as he became less of a goalscorer and moved more to the sidelines, taking much part in the build-up play, especially as a target player, and his assist numbers increased. In the 2005-06 season, Juventus fans often got frustrated with him due to his anonymous presence in certain important games such as the Champions League defeat to
ArsenalArsenal Football Club are an English professional football club based in Holloway, North London...
. Juventus were stripped of their last two
Scudetti as part of the verdict from the
Calciopoli scandal, and were relegated to
Serie BSerie B is the name of the second highest football league in Italy. It consists of 22 teams. The championship is often called the cadetti, which means 'juniors' or 'cadets', or campionato cadetto. It is organized by Lega Calcio, as the major tounament....
. The new staff tried to persuade Ibrahimović and other top players to stay with Juventus, but the player and his agent were adamant to move on, with Raiola threatening legal action in order to extricate Ibrahimović from his contract.
Internazionale (2006-2009)
Ibrahimović signed a four-year contract with Internazionale on 10 August 2006, a few days after
Patrick VieiraPatrick Vieira is a Senegalese-born French footballer who plays as a midfielder for Serie A club Internazionale and the French national team....
completed his transfer. Internazionale paid
JuventusJuventus Football Club , commonly referred to as Juventus and familiarly as Juve, is an Italian professional football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
for €24.8 million. He revealed that he supported Internazionale when he was young, He started his spell at the club by scoring one goal and assisting another in a league match against
FiorentinaACF Fiorentina, commonly referred to as simply Fiorentina, is a professional Italian football club from Florence, Tuscany. Founded by a merger in 1926, Fiorentina have played at the top level of Italian football for the majority of their existence; only four clubs have played in more Serie A seasons...
and ended his first season as Inter's top goalscorer with 15 goals.
Ibrahimović played his 100th Serie A match on 16 September 2007. His contract was renewed in 2007, last until June 2013. He was estimated as the top of footballer wages. He scored two Champions League goals in the group stage against
PSVPhilips Sport Vereniging , widely known either as PSV or PSV Eindhoven, is a Dutch sports club from Eindhoven, Netherlands. It is best known for its professional football department....
on 2 October, which marked his first European goals since December 2005 and his first goals overall in an Inter jersey, and finished with five goals in seven Champions League matches. Against
ParmaParma Football Club is an Italian football club based in Parma, Emilia-Romagna, that are competing in the 2009-10 Serie A season. The club plays its home matches in the 27,906 seat Stadio Ennio Tardini...
in the final league matchday on 18 May 2008, he returned from a chronic knee injury and scored both goals as Inter won 2-0, clinching their third straight
Scudetto.
On 16 November 2008, Ibrahimović said that he would not return to the
AllsvenskanAllsvenskan is the highest league in the league system of Swedish football. The league was created in 1924. Before that, the top league in Sweden had been called Svenska Serien. Since 2008 season 16 teams have taken part instead of 14 previously.- Status :The champions of the Allsvenskan are...
of
SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
as an active player, but he would stay the rest of his active career as a player abroad.
Ibrahimović's 2008-09 season started brilliantly, hitting the back of the net in Inter's first league match. His goal against
BolognaBologna Football Club 1909 is an Italian football club based in Bologna, Emilia-Romagna. They were formed in 1909 and continue on today. The club are nicknamed the rossoblù because of the red and blue striped shirts they wear....
was voted "Goal of the Year". He scored it with his heel without moving and accurately into the net from a cross by the
BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
ian
AdrianoAdriano Leite Ribeiro , commonly known as simply Adriano, is a Brazilian football striker who is currently on the books for Brazilian club Flamengo and is also a member of the Brazilian national team....
. Ibrahimović's form in the season had been eye-catching, with clever movement on and off the ball, and his passing had been outstanding, such as his acrobatic pass against
LazioSocietà Sportiva Lazio, commonly referred to as simply Lazio, is an Italian professional sports club most noted for its football section, founded in 1900 and based in Rome...
. He ended a month long goal drought against
GenoaGenoa Cricket and Football Club, commonly referred to as simply Genoa, is an Italian professional football club based in the city of Genoa, Liguria...
, handing them their first home loss of the season, making Inter the only team not to lose at home in the league. In the final league game of the season, Ibrahimović scored twice against
AtalantaAtalanta Bergamasca Calcio, commonly known as just Atalanta, Atalanta Bergamo or the abbreviation Atalanta BC, is an Italian football club based in Bergamo, Lombardy. They are nicknamed the Nerazzurri and the orobici...
, securing the
CapocannoniereThe Capocannoniere is the name given to the highest goalscorer in Italian football. The Serie A title is currently held by Zlatan Ibrahimović.-Serie A:...
for himself by finishing one goal ahead of
Marco Di VaioMarco Di Vaio is an Italian football striker, who currently plays for Bologna FC. In his long career, Di Vaio has played for Lazio , Hellas Verona , Bari , Salernitana , Parma , Juventus , Valencia and Monaco .At of July 2009 he scored 101 Serie A goals in 237 games.-Early career:Marco Di...
and
Diego MilitoDiego Alberto Milito is an Argentine footballer who currently plays as a striker for Italian Serie A club Internazionale...
.
Barcelona (2009-present)
After
MaxwellMaxwell Scherrer Cabelino Andrade , commonly known as Maxwell, is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays for Spanish La Liga club Barcelona. He plays as an attacking left back or winger.-Ajax:...
completed his transfer to
BarcelonaFútbol Club Barcelona , also known simply as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça , is a football club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The team was founded in 1899 by a group of Swiss, English and Spanish men led by Joan Gamper. The club has become a Catalan institution, hence the motto "Més que...
, president
Joan LaportaJoan Laporta i Estruch has been the president of Futbol Club Barcelona since 2003.Laporta is a lawyer with his own firm, Laporta & Arbós, which has important firms as clients...
confirmed that there was an agreement in principle between Barcelona and Internazionale for Ibrahimović to join the club in exchange for
Samuel Eto'oSamuel Eto'o Fils is a Cameroonian footballer who plays as a striker for Italian Serie A club Internazionale and is currently serving as captain of the Cameroon national team....
, plus a fee. Ibrahimović left Internazionale from the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on tour in the
World Football ChallengeThe World Football Challenge was an exhibition international club football competition featuring football club teams from Europe and North America, which was held in the summer of 2009. Each team played the other three teams in the tournament once in a round-robin tournament format, with each game...
on 23 July 2009 for negotiations with Barcelona, with his last match for Internazionale being against
ChelseaChelsea Football Club Chelsea Football Club Chelsea Football Club (are a professional English football club based in West London. The team, founded in 1905, play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football...
. After Internazionale agreed terms with Eto'o and Barcelona with Ibrahimović, Barcelona announced Ibrahimović would arrive on 26 July 2009 and undergo a medical test on 27 July 2009. Ibrahimović passed his medical and was presented to a crowd of over 60,000 at
Camp NouThe Camp Nou , often erroneously called the Nou Camp is a football stadium in Barcelona, Spain. The stadium has been the home of FC Barcelona since its construction in 1957. It is a UEFA 5-star rated stadium, and has hosted numerous international matches at senior level, and UEFA Champions League...
. He signed a 5-year contract, for
€The euro is the official currency of 16 of the 27 Member States of the European Union . The states, known collectively as the Eurozone, are Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain...
46 million (
$The United States dollar is the unit of currency of the United States. The U.S. dollar is normally abbreviated as the dollar sign, $, or as USD or US$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies and from others that use the $ symbol. It is divided into 100 cents .The U.S...
65 million) and the exchange of Eto'o (valued at €20 million) and loan of
Aliaksandr HlebAliaksandr Pavlovic Hleb , sometimes referred to in English as Alexander Hleb or Alexander Gleb, is a Belarusian footballer who currently plays in the midfield for Bundesliga club Stuttgart and for the Belarusian national team.His natural and preferred position is attacking midfielder or 'in the...
(with an option to buy for a €10 million fee), with a €250 million release clause, making Ibrahimović worth €66 million ($94 million). Afterwards, Hleb refused the transfer and later loaned out to
VfB StuttgartVerein für Bewegungsspiele Stuttgart 1893 e. V., commonly known as VfB Stuttgart, is a German sports club based in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg. The club is best known for its football team, which has participated in all but two Bundesliga seasons...
; therefore, Barcelona added a reported €3 million fee to compensate, making Ibrahimović worth a final total of €69 million ($99 million). He currently earns an annual salary of €9.5 million. Barcelona announced Ibrahimović successfully underwent surgery on his fractured left hand's second metacarpal on 28 July 2009. He returned to full training on 12 August 2009 for Barcelona.
2009-2010 season
Ibrahimović made his competitive debut for
BarcelonaFútbol Club Barcelona , also known simply as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça , is a football club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The team was founded in 1899 by a group of Swiss, English and Spanish men led by Joan Gamper. The club has become a Catalan institution, hence the motto "Més que...
on 23 August 2009 by tallying an
assistIn association football, an assist is a contribution by a player which helps a teammate to score a goal. Statistics for assists made by players may be kept officially by the organisers of a competition, or unofficially by, for example, journalists or organisers of fantasy football competitions...
for teammate
Lionel MessiLionel Andrés Messi is an Argentine footballer who currently plays for La Liga's Barcelona and the Argentine national team. Messi is considered to be one of the best football players of his generation, having received several Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations by the age of 21...
, leading them to win the
2009 Spanish Super CupThe 2009 Supercopa de España was two-legged Spanish football match-up played on 16 August and 23 August 2009. It was contested by Athletic Bilbao, the 2008–09 Copa del Rey runners-up, and Barcelona, the 2008–09 Primera División and Copa del Rey winners....
. In his second competitive match, Ibrahimović helped his team win the
2009 UEFA Super CupThe 2009 UEFA Super Cup was the 35th UEFA Super Cup, an annual football match between the winners of the previous season's UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup competitions...
. In his third competitive match for the Catalan outfit, Ibrahimović scored his first goal in his debut match in
La LigaThe Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, in terms of sponsorship, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional football league in Spain...
against Sporting Gijon with a diving header from a deflected cross, giving Barcelona a 3-0 win to the start of the season. In his second
leagueThe Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, in terms of sponsorship, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional football league in Spain...
match, he scored his second goal against
Getafe CFGetafe Club de Fútbol S.A.D. is a Spanish La Liga football club based in Getafe, a city in the Madrid metropolitan area, founded in 1946 and refounded in 1983.In the top level since 2004-05, it holds home games at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez....
, and assisted Lionel Messi in a 2-0 win, bringing his team to the top of the table. He continued his great start to the season by opening the scoring for Barcelona, in the second minute, versus Atletico Madrid in his third league match, leading to a 5-2 win for the
Blaugrana. Ibrahimović starred again in the next league match, the fourth of the season, at Racing Santander by scoring a goal and giving a back-heel assist in a 4-1 win for Barcelona, making it four goals and two assists in four league matches for the
SwedeSwedes are a Scandinavian people, mostly inhabiting Sweden and the other Nordic countries, with descendants living in a number of countries....
. Ibrahimović is the only Barcelona player in history to have scored in each of his first four league games. Barcelona stated on their website that Ibrahimović suffered a "grade 1-2" injury on his right ankle in the second half of the Santander match, and was doubtful for the fifth league match against
Malaga CFMálaga Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Málaga, Andalusia. They currently play in Spain's La Liga.Málaga CF is generally seen as the heir of CD Málaga, one of the most historical Andalusian football clubs, by being a near-identical looking football club that even shares...
. After days of rest, he recovered from an ankle sprain, featured in the fifth league match after coming on for the injured
Thierry HenryThierry Daniel Henry is a French footballer who plays for Spanish La Liga club Barcelona and the French national team predominantly as a striker....
in the 29th minute, and scored his fifth goal of the season in the 39th minute with a
half-volleyA volley is an air-borne strike in football . A volley can be extremely hard to aim and requires good foot-eye coordination and timing. In general, the volley requires that the player strike the ball with the front of his foot, with the toes pointing downward, ankle locked, and the knee lifted...
. Days later, he provided an assist for
PedroPedro Rodríguez Ledesma , is a Spanish footballer playing as a winger for Barcelona. Despite primarily being left-footed, Pedro can strike the ball equally well with his right.-Barcelona:...
in a UEFA Champions League group stage match against Dynamo Kyiv. He then scored his first Champions League goal in the next match against
Rubin KazanFC Rubin Kazan , is a Russian football club, based in the city of Kazan...
.
International career
Even though he was eligible to play for Bosnia and
CroatiaThe Croatia national football team represents the Republic of Croatia in international football. The team is controlled by the Croatian Football Federation, the governing body for football in the country, and has been managed since 2006 by Slaven Bilić...
he chose to play for
SwedenThe Swedish national football team is the national football team of Sweden and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association.-History:...
, his country of birth.
Ibrahimović debuted for
SwedenThe Swedish national football team is the national football team of Sweden and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association.-History:...
in a goalless friendly match against the
Faroe IslandsThe Faroe Islands national football team is the national football team of Faroe Islands and is controlled by the Faroe Islands Football Association...
on 31 January 2001. His first competitive match was a
2002 FIFA World CupThe 2002 FIFA World Cup, the 17th staging of the World Cup, was held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. The two countries were chosen as hosts by FIFA in May 1996 and was the first tournament in its history to be hosted by two countries. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia...
qualifier against
AzerbaijanThe Azerbaijan national football team is the national football team of Azerbaijan and is controlled by Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan...
on 7 October. Ibrahimović was part of Sweden's 2002 World Cup finals squad who were eliminated in the round of 16 by newcomers
SenegalThe Senegal national football team, nicknamed the Lions of Teranga, is the national team of Senegal and is controlled by the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football. It made its first World Cup in 2002 and made quite a splash, pulling a huge upset by defeating world and European champions France 1-0 in...
.
Ibrahimović was a fixture in the starting lineup for Euro 2004, scoring a penalty against
BulgariaThe Bulgaria national football team is the national football team of Bulgaria and is controlled by the Bulgarian Football Union. Bulgaria's best World Cup performance was in the 1994 World Cup in USA, where they beat defending champions Germany to reach the semi-finals, losing to Italy, and...
and rounding off a fine performance against the solid defense of
ItalyThe Italy national football team represents Italy in international football competition and is controlled by the Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio...
by scoring a late equaliser. However, he missed a penalty as Sweden were sent home following a shootout loss to the
NetherlandsThe Netherlands national football team is the national football team of the Netherlands and is controlled by the Royal Netherlands Football Association. It won Euro 88 and reached two consecutive World Cup finals in 1974 and 1978 but lost both finals to their respective host nations, West Germany...
. He went scoreless during the
2006 World CupThe 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th instance of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000...
finals as Sweden were again snuffed out in the round of 16, this time by
GermanyThe German national football team is the football team representing the country of Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association DFB which was founded in 1900....
.
He was called up for a Euro 2008 qualifier against
LiechtensteinThe Liechtenstein national football team is the national football team of Liechtenstein and is controlled by the Liechtenstein Football Association. The organisation is known as the Liechtensteiner Fussballverband in German. The team's first match was an unofficial match against Malta in Seoul, a...
on 6 September 2006, but two days before the match, he violated team curfew by leaving the hotel with teammates
Christian WilhelmssonChristian Ulf Wilhelmsson, nicknamed Chippen is a professional footballer, who currently plays for Al-Hilal as a winger.Preferably operating on the right side, he is known for his pace and dribbling abilities....
and
Olof MellbergErik Olof Mellberg is a Swedish international footballer. He recently signed for Olympiacos in Greek Superleague. He generally plays as a central defender or right-back.-Early career:...
and visiting a nightclub. Though none of the players consumed any alcohol, they were nonetheless all sent home by coach
Lars LagerbäckLars Lagerback is a former Swedish football manager and former player, he was last the manager of the Sweden national team.-Managerial career:...
as punishment and did not take part in the match. Mellberg and Wilhelmsson did not appeal the coach's decision, but Ibrahimović felt that it was unjust and therefore refused to take part in Sweden's next qualifiers against
IcelandThe Iceland national football team is the national football team of Iceland and is controlled by the Football Association of Iceland. It has never advanced to the finals of any major international competition....
and
SpainThe Spanish national football team represents Spain in international football and is controlled by the . The majority of Spain's matches are held at stadia in Madrid and Valencia. The Spanish side are commonly referred to as La Furia Roja .Spain are the current European champions, having won the...
. He also skipped a friendly against
EgyptThe Egypt national football team , nicknamed The Pharaohs , is the national team of Egypt and is administered by the Egyptian Football Association. They are the current African Champions having won the 2008 African Nations Cup...
on 7 February 2007, but ended his self-imposed boycott a month later, and returned for Sweden's loss to
Northern IrelandThe Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international football. Before 1921, all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
on 28 March. He did not score in any of the 12 qualifying matches; his one goal was disallowed for offside in a 3-0 loss to Spain on 17 November. On 12 November 2007, Ibrahimović was awarded the 2007 Swedish Golden Ball as the "Country's Top Player of the Year."
Ibrahimović ended his international goal drought, which had lasted for over two years, against
GreeceThe Greece national football team represents Greece in international football and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation. Greece spent most of their history in relative obscurity, having participated only twice in the final tournaments of the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA European...
in Sweden's Euro 2008 opener on 10 June 2008, and the next match against
SpainThe Spanish national football team represents Spain in international football and is controlled by the . The majority of Spain's matches are held at stadia in Madrid and Valencia. The Spanish side are commonly referred to as La Furia Roja .Spain are the current European champions, having won the...
four days later.
He finished the tournament with two goals as Sweden were eliminated in the group stage by
RussiaThe Russia national football team is the national football team of Russia controlled by the Football Union of Russia and affiliated with UEFA. Guus Hiddink is currently managing the team....
.
Ibrahimović scored a goal in a 4-0 win against
MaltaThe Malta national football team is the national football team of Malta and is controlled by the Malta Football Association. It has never advanced to the finals of any major international competition and as of 12 October 2006 has won only four competitive matches...
on 10 June, 2009 in a
2010 FIFA World Cup qualifierThe qualification competition for the 2010 FIFA World Cup is an ongoing series of tournaments organised by the six FIFA confederations. Each confederation — the AFC , CAF , CONCACAF , CONMEBOL , OFC , and UEFA — was allocated a certain number of the 32 places at the tournament, based...
. On 5 September, 2009, he scored a last second goal in
Stadium Puskás FerencStadium Puskás Ferenc is a multi-purpose stadium in Budapest, Hungary. It is situated on the Pest side of the capital between the Stadionok and the Keleti Palyaudvar train stations. It is currently used mainly for football matches. The stadium, which is all-seater, has a capacity of 68,976, though...
against
HungaryThe Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation. It has a rich and proud pedigree in the game and a rightful place in football annals as one of the first original footballing nations in continental Europe and an...
in a 2-1 win for Sweden in their
qualificationThe qualification competition for the 2010 FIFA World Cup is an ongoing series of tournaments organised by the six FIFA confederations. Each confederation — the AFC , CAF , CONCACAF , CONMEBOL , OFC , and UEFA — was allocated a certain number of the 32 places at the tournament, based...
match.
Personal life
Zlatan Ibrahimović is married to Helena Seger and has 2 children, Maximilian (born on 22 September, 2006), and Vincent (born on 06 March, 2008). They have a pet
pugThe Pug is a small breed of dog with a wrinkly, short muzzled face, and curled tail. The word "pug" may have come from the Old English pugg or "puge", which were affectionate terms for a playful little devil or monkey. Pug puppies are often called puglets...
named Trustor. He currently resides in
BarcelonaBarcelona is the capital, most populous city of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia and the second largest city in Spain, with a population of 1,615,908 in 2008. It is the 11th-most populous municipality in the European Union and sixth-most populous urban area in the European Union after Paris,...
, although he visits his summer home in
MalmöMalmö is the third most populous city in Sweden, situated in its southernmost province of Scania.Malmö is the seat of Malmö Municipality and the capital of Skåne County. The administrative entity for most of the city is Malmö Municipality which has 290 007 inhabitants in eight different...
annually. Ibrahimović received a
black beltThe term black belt has become widely known as a way to describe an expert in martial artswhere a practitioner's level is often marked by the color of the belt. The black belt is commonly the highest belt color used and denotes a high degree of competence, and often associated with a teaching grade...
in
TaekwondoTaekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way," "method," or "art." Thus, "taekwondo" may be loosely translated as "the way of the foot and fist" or "the...
at the age of 17, where he attended classes at a Malmö Taekwondo club called
Enighet,
SwedishSwedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along the coast and on the Åland islands. It is to a considerable extent mutually intelligible with Norwegian and to a lesser extent with Danish...
for
unity, which has helped his flexibility in the ability to take acrobatic shots and passes. He has stated that he enjoys watching new movies and traveling with his family. Ibrahimović is fluent in
SwedishSwedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along the coast and on the Åland islands. It is to a considerable extent mutually intelligible with Norwegian and to a lesser extent with Danish...
,
BosnianBosnian is a South Slavic language spoken primarily in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in the region of Sandžak in Serbia and Montenegro, although it is also spoken in various places throughout the world, as many speakers were forced to become refugees during the Bosnian war...
,
EnglishEnglish is a West Germanic language that developed in England during the Anglo-Saxon era. As a result of the military, economic, scientific, political, and cultural influence of the British Empire during the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, and of the United States since the mid 20th century,...
, and
ItalianItalian is a Romance language spoken by about 60 million people in Italy, and by a total of around 70 million in the world. In Switzerland, Italian is one of four official languages. It is also the official language of San Marino, as well as the primary language of Vatican City...
, and is learning
CatalanCatalan is a Romance language, the national and official language of Andorra, and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of the Balearic Islands, Catalonia and Valencian Community, where it is known as Valencià , as well as in the city of Alghero on the Italian island of...
and
SpanishSpanish or Castilian is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that originated in northern Spain and gradually spread in the Kingdom of Castile, evolving into the principal language of government and trade in the Iberian peninsula...
. Ibrahimović is sponsored by
NikeNike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
and features in their television advertisements.
Club
|-
|
1999Allsvenskan 1999, part of the 1999 Swedish football season, was the 75th Allsvenskan season played. Helsingborgs IF won the league ahead of runners-up AIK, while Kalmar FF, Malmö FF and Djurgårdens IF were relegated.- League table :...
||rowspan="3"|
Malmö FFMalmö FF is a Swedish football club located in Malmö. The club, formed on 24 February 1910, has been awarded 15 national championship titles and 14 national cup titles. Malmö FF was the runner-up in the 1979 European Champions Cup final, which they lost 1-0 to Nottingham Forest...
||
AllsvenskanAllsvenskan is the highest league in the league system of Swedish football. The league was created in 1924. Before that, the top league in Sweden had been called Svenska Serien. Since 2008 season 16 teams have taken part instead of 14 previously.- Status :The champions of the Allsvenskan are...
||6||1||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||6||1
|-
|2000||
SuperettanSuperettan is the second highest league in the league system of Swedish football and comprises 16 Swedish football teams. It was created in 2000. Before that, the second level league in Sweden had been Division 1....
||26||12||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||26||12
|-
|
2001Allsvenskan 2001, part of the 2001 Swedish football season, was the 77th Allsvenskan season played. The first match was played 7 April 2001 and the last match was played 27 October 2001...
||
AllsvenskanAllsvenskan is the highest league in the league system of Swedish football. The league was created in 1924. Before that, the top league in Sweden had been called Svenska Serien. Since 2008 season 16 teams have taken part instead of 14 previously.- Status :The champions of the Allsvenskan are...
||8||3||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||8||3
|-
|
2001–02The Dutch Eredivisie in the 2001/2002 season was contested by 18 teams. Ajax won the championship.-League standings:1 Ajax alson won the KNVB Cup, thereby taking the double. They would participate in the Champions League, so finalists FC Utrecht could play in the UEFA Cup...
||rowspan="4"|Ajax||rowspan="4"|
EredivisieFor the Eredivisie for female football see: Eredivisie The Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands.The top division consists of 18 clubs. Each club faces every other club twice during the season, once at home and once away...
||24||6||3||0||6||2||33||8
|-
|
2002–03The Dutch Eredivisie in the 2002/2003 season was contested by 18 teams. PSV won the championship.-League standings:1 Winners KNVB Cup.
2 FC Zwolle remained in the eredivisie after winning their promotion/relegation play-offs...
||25||13||3||3||13||5||41||21
|-
|
2003–04The 2003-2004 season of the Dutch Eredivisie began in August 2003 and ended in May 2004. The title was won by Ajax.-League standings:-Topscorers:-Relegation playoffs:-Match table:-References:* *...
||22||13||1||0||6||2||29||15
|-
|2004–05||3||3||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||3||3
|-
|2004–05||rowspan="2"|
JuventusJuventus Football Club , commonly referred to as Juventus and familiarly as Juve, is an Italian professional football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
||rowspan="2"|
Serie ASerie A, called for sponsorship reasons as Serie A TIM, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top echelon of the Italian football league system operating for eighty years from 1929. It is organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new league like the English Premier...
||35||16||0||0||10||0||45||16
|-
|2005–06||35||7||2||0||9||3||46||10
|-
|2006–07||rowspan="3"|
InternazionaleFootball Club Internazionale Milano, commonly referred to as Internazionale and as just Inter in Italy, is an Italian professional football club based in Milan, Lombardy, founded in 1908...
||rowspan="3"|
Serie ASerie A, called for sponsorship reasons as Serie A TIM, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top echelon of the Italian football league system operating for eighty years from 1929. It is organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new league like the English Premier...
||27||15||2||0||7||0||36||15
|-
|2007–08||26||17||1||0||7||5||34||22
|-
|2008–09||35||25||3||3||8||1||46||29
|-
|2009–10||rowspan="1"|
FC BarcelonaFútbol Club Barcelona , also known simply as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça , is a football club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The team was founded in 1899 by a group of Swiss, English and Spanish men led by Joan Gamper. The club has become a Catalan institution, hence the motto "Més que...
||rowspan="1"|
La LigaThe Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, in terms of sponsorship, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional football league in Spain...
||6||5||0||0||3||1||9||6
40||16||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||40||16
74||35||7||3||25||9||106||47
158||80||8||3||41||9||207||92
6||5||0||0||3||1||9||6
278||136||15||6||69||19||363||161
|}
International goals
- Sweden score first
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|
| 1. |
2001-10-07 |
Råsunda StadiumRåsunda Fotbollstadion, also Råsundastadion, Råsunda Stadium or just Råsunda, is a Swedish national football stadium. It is located in Solna Municipality in Metropolitan Stockholm. It was opened in 1937 although there had already existed stadiums at the site; the earliest opened in 1910. Råsunda...
, SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
|
| 3-0 |
3-0 |
2002 FIFA World Cup qualificationA total of 199 teams entered the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds, competing for a total of 32 spots in the final tournament, an increase from 24 in the previous five World Cups...
|
| 2. |
2002-08-21 |
Lokomotiv Stadium Lokomotiv Stadium is a football stadium in Moscow, Russia. It is the home stadium of Lokomotiv Moscow and is the home ground of the Russian National Team for the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification matches. The stadium was reconstructed in 2002 and holds 28,800 people, all seated...
, MoscowMoscow is the capital and the largest city of Russia. It is also the largest metropolitan area in Europe, and ranks among the largest urban areas in the world. Moscow is a major political, economic, cultural, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the world, a...
|
| 1-1 |
1-1 |
Friendly match |
| 3. |
2002-10-12 |
Råsunda StadiumRåsunda Fotbollstadion, also Råsundastadion, Råsunda Stadium or just Råsunda, is a Swedish national football stadium. It is located in Solna Municipality in Metropolitan Stockholm. It was opened in 1937 although there had already existed stadiums at the site; the earliest opened in 1910. Råsunda...
, SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
|
| 1-1 |
1-1 |
UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying |
| 4. |
2003-04-30 |
Råsunda StadiumRåsunda Fotbollstadion, also Råsundastadion, Råsunda Stadium or just Råsunda, is a Swedish national football stadium. It is located in Solna Municipality in Metropolitan Stockholm. It was opened in 1937 although there had already existed stadiums at the site; the earliest opened in 1910. Råsunda...
, SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
|
| 1-1 |
1-2 |
Friendly match |
| 5. |
2003-09-06 |
UlleviUllevi, Ullevi Stadium or Nya Ullevi as it is referred to by the inhabitants, meaning New Ullevi, to distinguish it from Gamla Ullevi , is a stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden. The stadium is also the biggest in Scandinavia. It was opened in 1958, its original use was as a venue for the 1958 World Cup...
, SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
|
| 3-0 |
5-0 |
UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying |
| 6. |
2003-09-06 |
UlleviUllevi, Ullevi Stadium or Nya Ullevi as it is referred to by the inhabitants, meaning New Ullevi, to distinguish it from Gamla Ullevi , is a stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden. The stadium is also the biggest in Scandinavia. It was opened in 1958, its original use was as a venue for the 1958 World Cup...
, SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
|
| 5-0 |
5-0 |
UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying |
| 7. |
2004-03-31 |
UlleviUllevi, Ullevi Stadium or Nya Ullevi as it is referred to by the inhabitants, meaning New Ullevi, to distinguish it from Gamla Ullevi , is a stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden. The stadium is also the biggest in Scandinavia. It was opened in 1958, its original use was as a venue for the 1958 World Cup...
, SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
|
| 1-0 |
1-0 |
Friendly match |
| 8. |
2004-06-14 |
Estádio José AlvaladeEstádio José Alvalade is a football stadium in Lisbon, Portugal, home of Sporting Clube de Portugal, one of the country's biggest clubs. It is the center of a complex called Alvalade XXI , designed by Portuguese architect...
, PortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of mainland Europe and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south and by Spain to the north and east...
|
| 4-0 |
5-0 |
UEFA Euro 2004 |
| 9. |
2004-06-18 |
Estádio do DragãoEstádio do Dragão is a football stadium in Porto, Portugal, that has an all-seated capacity of 50,399....
, PortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of mainland Europe and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south and by Spain to the north and east...
|
| 1-1 |
1-1 |
UEFA Euro 2004 |
| 10. |
2004-08-18 |
Råsunda StadiumRåsunda Fotbollstadion, also Råsundastadion, Råsunda Stadium or just Råsunda, is a Swedish national football stadium. It is located in Solna Municipality in Metropolitan Stockholm. It was opened in 1937 although there had already existed stadiums at the site; the earliest opened in 1910. Råsunda...
, SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
|
| 2-2 |
2-2 |
Friendly match |
| 11. |
2004-09-04 |
Ta' Qali Stadium, MaltaMalta , officially the Republic of Malta , is a densely populated developed European country in the European Union. The Southern European island nation is an archipelago that includes the inhabited islands of Malta, Gozo and Comino, along with a number of smaller, uninhabited islands...
|
| 1-0 |
7-0 |
2006 FIFA World Cup qualificationA total of 197 teams entered the qualification process for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, competing for a total of 32 spots in the final tournament. Germany, as the host, qualified automatically, leaving 31 spots open for competition...
|
| 12. |
2004-09-04 |
Ta' Qali Stadium, MaltaMalta , officially the Republic of Malta , is a densely populated developed European country in the European Union. The Southern European island nation is an archipelago that includes the inhabited islands of Malta, Gozo and Comino, along with a number of smaller, uninhabited islands...
|
| 2-0 |
7-0 |
2006 FIFA World Cup qualificationA total of 197 teams entered the qualification process for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, competing for a total of 32 spots in the final tournament. Germany, as the host, qualified automatically, leaving 31 spots open for competition...
|
| 13. |
2004-09-04 |
Ta' Qali Stadium, MaltaMalta , officially the Republic of Malta , is a densely populated developed European country in the European Union. The Southern European island nation is an archipelago that includes the inhabited islands of Malta, Gozo and Comino, along with a number of smaller, uninhabited islands...
|
| 3-0 |
7-0 |
2006 FIFA World Cup qualificationA total of 197 teams entered the qualification process for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, competing for a total of 32 spots in the final tournament. Germany, as the host, qualified automatically, leaving 31 spots open for competition...
|
| 14. |
2004-09-04 |
Ta' Qali Stadium, MaltaMalta , officially the Republic of Malta , is a densely populated developed European country in the European Union. The Southern European island nation is an archipelago that includes the inhabited islands of Malta, Gozo and Comino, along with a number of smaller, uninhabited islands...
|
| 5-0 |
7-0 |
2006 FIFA World Cup qualificationA total of 197 teams entered the qualification process for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, competing for a total of 32 spots in the final tournament. Germany, as the host, qualified automatically, leaving 31 spots open for competition...
|
| 15. |
2005-06-04 |
UlleviUllevi, Ullevi Stadium or Nya Ullevi as it is referred to by the inhabitants, meaning New Ullevi, to distinguish it from Gamla Ullevi , is a stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden. The stadium is also the biggest in Scandinavia. It was opened in 1958, its original use was as a venue for the 1958 World Cup...
, SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
|
| 4-0 |
6-0 |
2006 FIFA World Cup qualificationA total of 197 teams entered the qualification process for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, competing for a total of 32 spots in the final tournament. Germany, as the host, qualified automatically, leaving 31 spots open for competition...
|
| 16. |
2005-09-03 |
Råsunda StadiumRåsunda Fotbollstadion, also Råsundastadion, Råsunda Stadium or just Råsunda, is a Swedish national football stadium. It is located in Solna Municipality in Metropolitan Stockholm. It was opened in 1937 although there had already existed stadiums at the site; the earliest opened in 1910. Råsunda...
, SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
|
| 3-0 |
3-0 |
2006 FIFA World Cup qualificationA total of 197 teams entered the qualification process for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, competing for a total of 32 spots in the final tournament. Germany, as the host, qualified automatically, leaving 31 spots open for competition...
|
| 17. |
2005-09-07 |
Stadium Puskás FerencStadium Puskás Ferenc is a multi-purpose stadium in Budapest, Hungary. It is situated on the Pest side of the capital between the Stadionok and the Keleti Palyaudvar train stations. It is currently used mainly for football matches. The stadium, which is all-seater, has a capacity of 68,976, though...
, HungaryHungary , in English officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in the Carpathian Basin of Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia. Its capital is Budapest. Hungary is a member of OECD, NATO, EU, V4 and is a Schengen state...
|
| 1-0 |
1-0 |
2006 FIFA World Cup qualificationA total of 197 teams entered the qualification process for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, competing for a total of 32 spots in the final tournament. Germany, as the host, qualified automatically, leaving 31 spots open for competition...
|
| 18. |
2005-10-12 |
Råsunda StadiumRåsunda Fotbollstadion, also Råsundastadion, Råsunda Stadium or just Råsunda, is a Swedish national football stadium. It is located in Solna Municipality in Metropolitan Stockholm. It was opened in 1937 although there had already existed stadiums at the site; the earliest opened in 1910. Råsunda...
, SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
|
| 1-1 |
3-1 |
2006 FIFA World Cup qualificationA total of 197 teams entered the qualification process for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, competing for a total of 32 spots in the final tournament. Germany, as the host, qualified automatically, leaving 31 spots open for competition...
|
| 19. |
2008-06-10 |
Wals Siezenheim Stadium, AustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.3 million people in Central Europe. It borders both Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west...
|
| 1-0 |
2-0 |
UEFA Euro 2008 |
| 20. |
2008-06-14 |
Tivoli Neu ' is a multi-purpose stadium in Innsbruck, Austria. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of FC Wacker Tirol. The stadium capacity was 17,400 when it was built in 2000...
, AustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.3 million people in Central Europe. It borders both Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west...
|
| 1-1 |
1-2 |
UEFA Euro 2008 |
| 21. |
2009-06-10 |
UlleviUllevi, Ullevi Stadium or Nya Ullevi as it is referred to by the inhabitants, meaning New Ullevi, to distinguish it from Gamla Ullevi , is a stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden. The stadium is also the biggest in Scandinavia. It was opened in 1958, its original use was as a venue for the 1958 World Cup...
, SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
|
| 3-0 |
4-0 |
2010 FIFA World Cup qualificationThe qualification competition for the 2010 FIFA World Cup is an ongoing series of tournaments organised by the six FIFA confederations. Each confederation — the AFC , CAF , CONCACAF , CONMEBOL , OFC , and UEFA — was allocated a certain number of the 32 places at the tournament, based...
|
| 22. |
2009-09-05 |
Stadium Puskás FerencStadium Puskás Ferenc is a multi-purpose stadium in Budapest, Hungary. It is situated on the Pest side of the capital between the Stadionok and the Keleti Palyaudvar train stations. It is currently used mainly for football matches. The stadium, which is all-seater, has a capacity of 68,976, though...
, HungaryHungary , in English officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in the Carpathian Basin of Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia. Its capital is Budapest. Hungary is a member of OECD, NATO, EU, V4 and is a Schengen state...
|
| 2-1 |
2-1 |
2010 FIFA World Cup qualificationThe qualification competition for the 2010 FIFA World Cup is an ongoing series of tournaments organised by the six FIFA confederations. Each confederation — the AFC , CAF , CONCACAF , CONMEBOL , OFC , and UEFA — was allocated a certain number of the 32 places at the tournament, based...
|
Ajax
- Eredivisie
For the Eredivisie for female football see: Eredivisie The Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands.The top division consists of 18 clubs. Each club faces every other club twice during the season, once at home and once away...
(2): 2001-02, 2003-04
- KNVB Cup
The KNVB Cup is a competition in the Netherlands organized by the Royal Netherlands Football Association since 1899. It was based on the format of the English FA Cup. Outside of the Netherlands, it is often referred to as the Dutch Cup...
(1): 2001-02
- Johan Cruijff-schaal
The Johan Cruijff Shield is a football trophy in the Netherlands named after legendary Dutch football player Johan Cruyff, also often referred to as the Dutch Super Cup. The winner is decided in one match only, played by the winner of the national football league and the winner of the national...
(1): 2002-03
Internazionale
- Italian Serie A (3): 2006-07
The Serie A 2006-2007 season began September 10, 2006. It was scheduled to begin on August 26 and 27, but was then postponed due to the Serie A scandal of 2006. It is the 104th Italian championship ever held, the first without the presence of Juventus, and the 75th Serie A league, the first being...
, 2007-08The 2007-08 Serie A football season was the seventy-sixth since its establishment, and started on August 26, 2007 and ended on May 18, 2008. Internazionale successfully defended the championship on the final day of the season, finishing first with 85 points, three ahead of Roma.-Plusvalenze...
, 2008-09The 2008–09 Serie A season was the seventy-seventh since its establishment. It began on 30 August 2008 and ended on 31 May 2009, with the announcement of the list of fixtures made on 25 July 2008...
- Italian Super Cup (2): 2006
The 2006 Supercoppa Italiana was a match contested by the 2005-06 winners Internazionale and the 2005-06 Coppa Italia runners-up A.S. Roma. The Coppa Italia runners-up were chosen to play instead of the winners because of the aftermath of the 2006 Serie A match-fixing scandal...
, 2008The 2008 Supercoppa Italiana is a football match that was played by Serie A 2007-08 winners Internazionale and Coppa Italia 2007-08 winners A.S. Roma. The match proved to be a tightly contested affair. After exchanging goals, it appeared that Inter was on its way to victory on Mario Balotelli's...
Barcelona
- Supercopa de España
The Supercopa de España is a Spanish football championship contested by the winners of the La Liga and the Copa del Rey.The 2009 edition of the Supercopa de España was played between FC Barcelona and Athletic Club Bilbao...
(1): 2009The 2009 Supercopa de España was two-legged Spanish football match-up played on 16 August and 23 August 2009. It was contested by Athletic Bilbao, the 2008–09 Copa del Rey runners-up, and Barcelona, the 2008–09 Primera División and Copa del Rey winners....
- UEFA Super Cup (1): 2009
The 2009 UEFA Super Cup was the 35th UEFA Super Cup, an annual football match between the winners of the previous season's UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup competitions...
Individual
- Serie A
Serie A, called for sponsorship reasons as Serie A TIM, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top echelon of the Italian football league system operating for eighty years from 1929. It is organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new league like the English Premier...
Top Scorer: 2009
- Serie A Foreign Footballer of the Year
The Serie A Foreign Footballer of the Year is a yearly award organized by the Associazione Italiana Calciatori given to the best non-Italian professional football player in the Serie A. The award is part of the "Oscar del calcio" awards event.-Winners:...
: 2005, 2008
- Serie A Footballer of the Year
The Oscar del Calcio are awards given by Associazione Italiana Calciatori to the best footballers of Italian Serie A.The winners of the prizes are chosen by the same footballers....
: 2008
- Serie A Goal of the Year
The Oscar del Calcio are awards given by Associazione Italiana Calciatori to the best footballers of Italian Serie A.The winners of the prizes are chosen by the same footballers....
: 2008
- Guldbollen
Guldbollen, , award given by the daily tabloid Aftonbladet and the Swedish Football Association to the best male Swedish footballer each year. The female equivalent is Diamantbollen.- Winners :...
: 2005, 2007, 2008
- Jerringpriset
Radiosportens Jerringpris is a prize established by Radiosporten, the sport section of Sveriges Radio. The prize is named for the Swedish radio personality Sven Jerring...
(Sweden's Sports Personality of the Year): 2007
- Swedish Male Athlete of the Year: 2007
- UEFA Team of the Year
The UEFA Team of the Year is a football award given by UEFA through a poll on its . This award started in 2001 to allow users and visitors of the organization's website to choose their own eleven players and a coach based on their overall performances in European club football...
: 2007
External links