Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Zlatan Ibrahimović (born on 3 October, 1981 in Malmö, Sweden) is a Swedish people association football striker of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatian Ibrahimović won the Capocannonieri on 31 May, 2009 with 25 domestic goals during Serie A 2008-09.

Early life

Ibrahimović was born to a Bosniaks father, Šefik, and a Croats mother, Jurka, While in Zlatan Ibrahimovic early teens, Zlatan Ibrahimovic was a regular in Zlatan Ibrahimovic hometown club Malmö FF. At the age of 15, Ibrahimović was close in quitting Zlatan Ibrahimovic football career, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic manager convinced Zlatan Ibrahimovic to continue play. Ibrahimović successfully completed junior high school in the ninth grade, and though Zlatan Ibrahimovic was admitted to Borgarskolan, Zlatan Ibrahimovic soon dropped out of high school to focus on Zlatan Ibrahimovic football career.

Club career

Malmö FF

Ibrahimović signed Zlatan Ibrahimovic first contract with Zlatan Ibrahimovic hometown club Malmö FF in 1996, and moved up to the senior side for the 1999 season of Allsvenskan, 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. Arsenal F.C. coach Arsène Wenger unsuccessfully tried to persuade Ibrahimović to join, while AFC Ajax coach Leo Beenhakker also expressed interest in the player after watching Zlatan Ibrahimovic in a training match against Norwegian side Moss F.K.. 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

Ibrahimović received little playing time under manager Co Adriaanse, but when Adriaanse was sacked on 29 November 2001, new coach Ronald Koeman 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 Lyonnais in Zlatan Ibrahimovic UEFA Champions League 2002-03 debut on 17 September 2002. Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored four Champions League goals overall as Ajax fell to A.C. Milan in the quarter-finals. In Zlatan Ibrahimovic final season with Ajax, Ibrahimović's profile rose when Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a breath-taking goal against NAC Breda on 22 August 2004, a goal that was eventually voted the "Goal of the Year" by Eurosport viewers. Zlatan Ibrahimovic netted only once in the 2003-04 Champions League (against Celta de Vigo on 22 October) as Ajax were eliminated in the group stage.

On 18 August 2004, Ibrahimović injured fellow Ajax teammate Rafael van der Vaart during an international match against the Netherlands national football team, which led to accusations from van der Vaart that Ibrahimović had hurt Zlatan Ibrahimovic intentionally. This led to Ibrahimović's sudden sale to Juventus F.C. on 31 August.

Juventus

Ibrahimović moved from Ajax to Juventus F.C. for a €16 million transfer fee. Zlatan Ibrahimovic was promptly inserted into the starting eleven due in part to top scorer David Trezeguet's injury problems, and scored sixteen goals. Near the end of the season, Juventus reportedly rejected a €70 million bid for Zlatan Ibrahimovic from Real Madrid C.F., which was later revealed to be a publicity stunt initiated by Ibrahimović's agent, Mino Raiola, in order to increase Zlatan Ibrahimovic market value.

The following season was poor compared to Zlatan Ibrahimovic first season; Zlatan Ibrahimovic role in Juventus' attack changed, as Zlatan Ibrahimovic 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 Zlatan Ibrahimovic assist numbers increased. In the 2005-06 season, Juventus fans often got frustrated with Zlatan Ibrahimovic due to Zlatan Ibrahimovic anonymous presence in certain important games such as the Champions League defeat to Arsenal F.C.. Juventus were stripped of their last two Scudetto as part of the verdict from the Calciopoli scandal, and were relegated to Serie B. The new staff tried to persuade Ibrahimović and other top players to stay with Juventus, but the player and Zlatan Ibrahimovic agent were adamant to move on, with Raiola threatening legal action in order to extricate Ibrahimović from Zlatan Ibrahimovic contract.

Internazionale

Ibrahimović signed a four-year contract with Internazionale Milano F.C. on 10 August 2006, few days after Patrick Vieira completed the transfer. Internazionale paid Juventus F.C for €24.8M. Zlatan Ibrahimovic revealed that Zlatan Ibrahimovic supported Internazionale when Zlatan Ibrahimovic was young, Zlatan Ibrahimovic started Zlatan Ibrahimovic spell at the club by scoring one goal and assisting another in a league match against ACF Fiorentina and ended Zlatan Ibrahimovic first season as Inter's top goalscorer with 15 goals.

Ibrahimović played Zlatan Ibrahimovic 100th Serie A match on 16 September 2007. Zlatan Ibrahimovic contract was renewed in 2007, last until June 2013. Zlatan Ibrahimovic was estimated as the top of footballer wages. Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored two Champions League goals in the group stage against PSV Eindhoven on 2 October, which marked Zlatan Ibrahimovic first European goals since December 2005 and Zlatan Ibrahimovic first goals overall in an Inter jersey, and finished with five goals in seven Champions League matches. Against Parma F.C. in the final league matchday on 18 May 2008, Zlatan Ibrahimovic 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 Zlatan Ibrahimovic would not return to the Allsvenskan of Sweden as an active player, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic would stay the rest of Zlatan Ibrahimovic 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. Zlatan Ibrahimovic goal against Bologna F.C. 1909 was voted "Goal of the Year". Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored it with Zlatan Ibrahimovic heel without moving and accurately into the net from a cross by the Brazilian Adriano Leite Ribeiro. Ibrahimović's form this season has so far been eye-catching, with clever movement off and on the ball, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic passing has been outstanding, such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic acrobatic pass against S.S. Lazio. Zlatan Ibrahimovic ended a month long goal drought against Genoa C.F.C., 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 Atalanta B.C., securing the Capocannoniere for himself by finishing one goal ahead of Marco Di Vaio and Diego Milito.

FC Barcelona

After Maxwell Cabelino Andrade completed Zlatan Ibrahimovic transfer to FC Barcelona, president Joan Laporta confirmed that there was an agreement in principle between Barcelona and Internazionale for Zlatan Ibrahimović to join the club in exchange for Samuel Eto'o, plus a fee. Ibrahimović left Internazionale from the United States on tour in the World Football Challenge on 23 July, 2009 for negotiations with Barcelona, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic last match for Internazionale being against Chelsea F.C.. After Internazionale agreed terms with Eto'o and Barcelona with Ibrahimović, Barcelona announced Ibrahimović will arrive on 26 July, 2009 and undergo a medical test on 27 July, 2009. Ibrahimović passed Zlatan Ibrahimovic medical and was presented to a crowd of over 60,000 at Camp Nou. Zlatan Ibrahimovic signed a 5-year contract, for Euro46 million (United States dollar65 million)

International career

Ibrahimović debuted for Sweden national football team in a goalless friendly match against the Faroe Islands national football team on 31 January 2001. Zlatan Ibrahimovic first competitive match was a 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan national football team on 7 October. Ibrahimović was part of Sweden's 2002 World Cup finals squad who were eliminated in the round of 16 by newcomers Senegal national football team.

Ibrahimović was a fixture in the starting lineup for UEFA Euro 2004, scoring a penalty against Bulgaria national football team and rounding off a fine performance against the solid defense of Italy national football team by scoring a late equaliser. However, Zlatan Ibrahimovic missed a penalty as Sweden were sent home following a shootout loss to the Netherlands national football team. Zlatan Ibrahimovic went scoreless during the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals as Sweden were again snuffed out in the round of 16, this time by Germany national football team.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic was called up for a UEFA Euro 2008 qualifier against Liechtenstein national football team on 6 September 2006, but two days before the match, Zlatan Ibrahimovic violated team curfew by leaving the hotel with teammates Christian Wilhelmsson and Olof Mellberg and visiting a nightclub. Though none of the players consumed any alcohol, they were nonetheless all sent home by coach Lars Lagerbäck 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 Iceland national football team and Spain national football team. Zlatan Ibrahimovic also skipped a friendly against Egypt national football team on 7 February 2007, but ended Zlatan Ibrahimovic self-imposed boycott a month later, and returned for Sweden's loss to Northern Ireland national football team on 28 March. Zlatan Ibrahimovic went scoreless in all 12 qualifying matches; Zlatan Ibrahimovic 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 Zlatan Ibrahimovic international goal drought, which had lasted for over two years, against Greece national football team in Sweden's UEFA Euro 2008 opener on 10 June 2008, and the next match against Spain national football team four days later, only the second player to breach the starting back four. Zlatan Ibrahimovic finished the tournament with the two goals as Sweden were eliminated in the group stage by Russia national football team.