Controversies are a part of history. Explore the biggest scandals linked to Zlatan Ibrahimović.
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).
August 2004: Scored Goal of the Year and Injured Teammate
In August 2004, Ibrahimović scored an individual goal against NAC Breda that was voted Goal of the Year. In August 18, 2004, he also injured Ajax teammate Rafael van der Vaart during an international match.
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2004: Accusation of Deliberate Injury
In 2004, after an international friendly, Ajax teammate Rafael van der Vaart publicly accused Ibrahimović of deliberately injuring him during the game.
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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: Fist-Fight with Onyewu
In 2010, Ibrahimović was involved in a training-ground fist-fight with Milan teammate Oguchi Onyewu after a violent tackle, resulting in a broken rib for Ibrahimović.
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2010: Confrontation with Pep Guardiola and Final Goal for Barcelona
In 2010, following Barcelona's Champions League defeat to Inter Milan, Ibrahimović confronted coach Pep Guardiola. He later scored his final goal for Barcelona on 14 August in the Supercopa de España against Sevilla. On 25 August 2010, he played his last match for the club.
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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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March 2011: Three-Match Ban for Punching Rossi
In March 2011, Ibrahimović received a three-match ban for punching Bari defender Marco Rossi in the stomach during a game.
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2011: Violent Tackle on Materazzi
During the 2010–2011 Serie A season, Ibrahimović made a violent tackle on Inter defender Marco Materazzi during a Milan derby, resulting in Materazzi's hospitalization, as revenge for a tackle Materazzi made on him when Ibrahimović was playing for Juventus.
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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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November 2012: Two-Match Ban for Kicking Ruffier
In November 2012, while with Paris Saint-Germain, Ibrahimović received a two-match ban for kicking Saint-Étienne goalkeeper Stéphane Ruffier in the chest.
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March 2013: Moura's Claim of Insulting Teammates
In March 2013, PSG winger Lucas Moura claimed that Ibrahimović regularly insulted teammates, often asking for the ball and complaining.
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2013: Comments on Women's Football
In 2013, Ibrahimović faced criticism from the Sweden women's national team for his comments on the disparity in achievements and treatment between male and female footballers in an interview published on Christmas Day.
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January 2015: Accusations of Abusing Officials
In January 2015, Lyon coach Hubert Fournier accused Ibrahimović of abusing officials, stating that he insults all the referees in the league.
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January 2015: Controversial Goal in Coupe de la Ligue Quarter-Final
On 13 January 2015, Ibrahimović scored the only goal in the Coupe de la Ligue quarter-final against Saint-Étienne, amidst controversy over whether the ball crossed the line.
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November 2015: Criticism of Pep Guardiola
During an interview in November 2015, Ibrahimović stated that Pep Guardiola was "not a man", referencing their falling-out during his time at Barcelona.
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May 2018: Sent Off for Slapping Petrasso
On May 21, 2018, Ibrahimović was sent off for slapping Montreal Impact player Michael Petrasso in the head during a game.
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July 2019: Altercation with Goalkeeping Coach
On July 20, 2019, Ibrahimović elbowed Mohamed El Monir, and after the match with LA Galaxy against Los Angeles FC, he had an altercation with their goalkeeping coach Zak Abdel, making obscene gestures towards heckling fans.
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November 2019: Bought Shares in Hammarby IF
In November 2019, Ibrahimović purchased 23.5 percent of the shares in Hammarby IF, a Swedish top-flight club, leading to vandalism of his statue in Malmö.
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November 2019: Investment in Hammarby Causes Fan Outrage
In November 2019, Ibrahimović's purchase of a stake in Hammarby, rivals of his boyhood team Malmö FF, led to outrage and vandalism of his statue in Malmö.
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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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January 2021: Altercation with Lukaku
In January 2021, during a Coppa Italia fixture against Inter Milan, Ibrahimović had an altercation with Romelu Lukaku, resulting in a one-match ban and an investigation for potential racial abuse.
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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: UEFA Investigation for Betting Company Interest
In April 2021, Ibrahimović was investigated by UEFA over alleged financial interest in a betting company called "Bethard".
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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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