Resilience and perseverance in the journey of Zlatan Ibrahimović. A timeline of obstacles and growth.
Zlatan Ibrahimović is a retired Swedish professional footballer renowned as one of the greatest strikers. Celebrated for his acrobatic goals, technical skill, and physical presence, he amassed 34 trophies, making him one of football's most decorated players. He scored over 570 career goals, with over 500 at club level, achieving the feat of scoring goals across four decades (1990s-2020s).
September 2006: Violation of Team Curfew
In September 2006, Ibrahimović violated team curfew before a Euro 2008 qualifier, leading to his suspension from the match.
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February 2007: Refusal to Play Friendly Against Egypt
In February 2007, Ibrahimović refused to participate in a friendly match against Egypt as part of a self-imposed boycott, but later ended it a month later.
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2008: Euro 2008 Qualifier Incident
In September 2006, Ibrahimović was sent home for violating team curfew, leading to his refusal to participate in qualifiers against Iceland and Spain and a friendly against Egypt in February 2007, before ending his boycott and returning for Sweden's loss to Northern Ireland on March 28.
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2010: Failure to Qualify for 2010 World Cup
Despite Ibrahimović's efforts, Sweden ultimately failed to qualify for the 2010 World Cup, finishing third in their qualifying group.
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March 2011: Three-Match Ban for Punching Marco Rossi
In March 2011, Ibrahimović received a three-match ban after being shown a red card in a match against Bari for punching defender Marco Rossi.
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February 2012: Three-Match Ban for Swearing at Assistant Referee
In February 2012, Ibrahimović was given a three-match ban for swearing at an assistant referee during a match against Fiorentina.
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February 2012: Red Card for Slapping Salvatore Aronica
On February 5, 2012, Ibrahimović received a red card in a match against Napoli for slapping Salvatore Aronica, resulting in a three-match ban.
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2015: Red Card Against Chelsea and Hat-tricks for PSG
In 2015, Ibrahimović received a red card in a Champions League match against Chelsea on March 11. Nine days later, he scored a hat-trick against Lorient. He also netted a hat-trick on April 8 as PSG reached the Coupe de France Final, marking his 100th goal for the club.
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April 2018: World Cup Absence Confirmed
In April 2018, the Sweden manager announced that Ibrahimović would not be called up for the 2018 World Cup, ending any possibility of a return.
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January 2021: Return from Injury, Goals Against Cagliari, and Confrontation with Lukaku
In January 2021, Ibrahimović returned from injury, played against Torino, scored twice against Cagliari, and had a confrontation with Romelu Lukaku during a match against Inter, which led to bookings and later a sending off. Following the match, Ibrahimović faced backlash for comments made during the confrontation, resulting in a fine of €4,000.
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February 2021: Racist Abuse at Red Star Belgrade Match
In February 2021, Ibrahimović was subjected to racist abuse by Red Star Belgrade fans during a Europa League match, leading to an investigation.
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April 2021: Red Star Belgrade Fined for Racism
In April 2021, Red Star Belgrade was fined €30,000 and ordered to play a home game behind closed doors due to the racist abuse directed at Ibrahimović.
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