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).
On October 3, 1981, Zlatan Ibrahimović was born. He later became known for his acrobatic strikes, volleys, technique, ball control, and physical dominance in football.
He ended the year as Ligue 1's top goalscorer with 30 goals, becoming the first player to reach that mark in the French top flight since Jean-Pierre Papin in the 1989–90 season.
In May 2013, Paris Saint-Germain won the Ligue 1 title, their first since 1994.
In 1996, Ibrahimović signed his first contract with Malmö.
In 1999, Ibrahimović moved up to the senior side for Malmö.
In 1999, Ibrahimović played four games and scored one goal for the Sweden U18 team.
In 1999, Zlatan Ibrahimović started his professional career at Malmö FF.
Ibrahimović debuted in a goalless friendly draw against the Faroe Islands at Tipshallen on 31 January 2001 during the 2000–01 Nordic Football Championship.
On January 31, 2001, Ibrahimović debuted for Sweden in a friendly draw against the Faroe Islands.
In March 2001, a deal was announced between Ajax and Malmö for Ibrahimović's transfer.
On October 7, 2001, Ibrahimović scored his first international goal in a 2002 World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan.
In November 2001, manager Co Adriaanse was sacked, leading to Ibrahimović getting more playing time.
In 2001, Ibrahimović changed the name on his jersey from 'Zlatan' to 'Ibrahimović' when he played for Ajax to honor his background.
In September 17, 2002, Ibrahimović scored twice in a 2–1 victory over Lyon in his Champions League debut.
In 2002, Ibrahimović played his first competitive match, a World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan, scoring his first international goal in a 3–0 win, helping Sweden qualify for the tournament.
In May 2003, the name "Zlatan" was trademarked at the Swedish Patent and Registration Office, granting exclusive rights to the name for certain products.
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.
On September 4, 2004, Ibrahimović scored four goals in a 7–0 victory against Malta during the 2006 World Cup qualification campaign.
In 2004, after an international friendly, Ajax teammate Rafael van der Vaart publicly accused Ibrahimović of deliberately injuring him during the game.
In November 2005, Ibrahimović was awarded the Guldbollen, a prize for the best Swedish footballer of the year.
In 2005, Ibrahimović expressed his disinterest in nationalism, particularly during a Juventus-Inter match, due to his mixed Bosniak-Croat heritage.
In 2005, Ibrahimović had his breakthrough with Juventus as featured in the documentary "Becoming Zlatan".
In 2005, Ibrahimović's role in Juventus' attack changed, focusing more on build-up play rather than direct goalscoring.
In August 10, 2006, Ibrahimović completed a €24.8 million move to Inter Milan, signing a four-year deal.
In August 26, 2006, Ibrahimović made his debut for Inter against Roma in the Supercoppa Italiana.
In September 2006, Ibrahimović violated team curfew before a Euro 2008 qualifier, leading to his suspension from the match.
In 2006, Ibrahimović signed with Inter Milan and went on to win three consecutive Serie A titles with the club.
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.
In September 16, 2007, Ibrahimović played his 100th Serie A match. In 2007, he also signed a new contract until June 2013.
In 2007, Ibrahimović was awarded Guldbollen (the Golden Ball), given to the Swedish player of the year.
In late 2007, Ibrahimović self-funded Zlatan Court in his hometown Malmö, providing a playing mat, goalposts, lighting, and a fence.
In May 18, 2008, Ibrahimović scored both goals in a 2–0 defeat of Parma to give Inter a second consecutive Scudetto.
In October 4, 2008, Ibrahimović scored a sensational backheeled goal against Bologna, which was later voted Goal of the Year in Serie A. In October 19, 2008, Ibrahimović continued with his solid performances by scoring twice in an impressive 4–0 win at Roma.
At the end of the 2008–09 season, Ibrahimović was named both Footballer of the Year and Foreign Footballer of the Year for the second consecutive season.
In 2008, Ibrahimović donated new Nike kits to his youth club, FBK Balkan.
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.
On June 10, 2009, Ibrahimović scored in a 4–0 win against Malta in a 2010 World Cup qualifier.
In July 23, 2009, Ibrahimović left Inter during their United States summer tour for negotiations with Barcelona. In July 26, 2009, Barcelona announced Ibrahimović would arrive and undergo a medical test on July 27, 2009.
In August 23, 2009, Ibrahimović made his competitive debut for Barcelona. He assisted a goal and won the Supercopa de España. In his third appearance, he scored his first goal in Barcelona's La Liga season opener against Sporting Gijón in a 3–0 win.
On September 5, 2009, Ibrahimović scored a last-second goal against Hungary in a 2–1 win for Sweden in their qualification match.
In January 2010, Zlatan was selected in the 2009 UEFA Team of the Year, recognizing his performance in the previous year.
In the summer of 2009, Ibrahimović moved to Barcelona in a high-profile transfer.
On 5 January 2010, Ibrahimović scored Barcelona's only goal in the Copa del Rey first leg match against Sevilla, which ended in a 2–1 loss.
On 28 August 2010, AC Milan announced the signing of Ibrahimović on loan for the 2010–11 season, with an option to purchase him for €24 million. He signed a four-year deal.
In December 2010, Ibrahimović continued his strong performance for Milan. On December 4th, he assisted a goal and scored in a 3–0 win against Brescia. On December 12th, he repeated the feat against Bologna, bringing his total to 13 goals with 8 assists in 21 matches. Following these performances in December 2010, he was compared to Marco van Basten.
Despite Ibrahimović's efforts, Sweden ultimately failed to qualify for the 2010 World Cup, finishing third in their qualifying group.
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.
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.
In February 2011, Ibrahimović named Muhammad Ali as one of his role models, highlighting Ali's unwavering belief in his principles.
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.
In March 2011, Ibrahimović received a three-match ban for punching Bari defender Marco Rossi in the stomach during a game.
On June 18 2011, all agreements between Milan and Barcelona were confirmed.
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.
In 2011, Ibrahimović was part of the Milan team that won the Serie A title, marking a significant milestone before their more recent victory in 2022.
On August 6, 2011, Ibrahimović scored in the Supercoppa Italiana against Inter, helping Milan secure a 2-1 victory. In the opening league match of the 2011-12 season, he scored Milan's first goal in a draw against Lazio.
In February 2012, Ibrahimović was given a three-match ban for swearing at an assistant referee during a match against Fiorentina.
On February 5, 2012, Ibrahimović received a red card in a match against Napoli for slapping Salvatore Aronica, resulting in a three-match ban.
On 17 July 2012, Paris Saint-Germain reached an agreement to acquire Ibrahimović from Milan for a €20 million transfer fee. His contract included a net annual salary of €14 million.
In September 2012, while in Malmö, Ibrahimović was inducted into the city's "Walk of Fame of Sports", marking a significant honour in his career.
On September 18, 2012, Ibrahimović scored in the Champions League match against Dynamo Kyiv, becoming the first player to score for six clubs in the UEFA Champions League.
In November 2012, while with Paris Saint-Germain, Ibrahimović received a two-match ban for kicking Saint-Étienne goalkeeper Stéphane Ruffier in the chest.
On November 14, 2012, Ibrahimović scored all four goals in a 4–2 win over England, including a memorable overhead kick.
On December 11, 2012, Ibrahimović scored a hat-trick in a 4–0 away win against Valenciennes.
Ahead of Euro 2012, Ibrahimović was named team captain and scored against San Marino and a hat-trick against Finland during qualification.
In 2012, Ibrahimović joined Paris Saint-Germain, where he led them to their first Ligue 1 title in 19 years and established himself as a key figure in their dominance of French football.
In 2012, Ibrahimović signed with Paris Saint-Germain, stating his desire to win and be part of the club's history. He scored twice in his debut match against Lorient and later scored two goals in a win against Lille.
In 2012, Ibrahimović stated in an interview with PSG that religion does not influence football, describing his upbringing and perspective on the sport.
In the 2012-2013 Champions League season, Zlatan was the assists leader.
In January 2013, Ibrahimović was given the number 10 jersey for Paris Saint-Germain after Nenê's departure.
In March 2013, PSG winger Lucas Moura claimed that Ibrahimović regularly insulted teammates, often asking for the ball and complaining.
In April 2013, Ibrahimović scored against his former club Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals, but PSG was eliminated.
In May 2013, Paris Saint-Germain won the Ligue 1 title, their first since 1994. Ibrahimović finished as the league's top goalscorer and was named Ligue 1's Player of the Year on May 20, 2013.
Ibrahimović's contract was set to end in June 2013, as per the agreement made in 2007.
On 31 August 2013, Ibrahimović scored his first goal of the season in a match against Guingamp.
On August 14, 2013, Ibrahimović scored a hat-trick in a friendly win against Norway.
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.
In 2013, Ibrahimović was named in the FIFA FIFPro World XI and finished at a peak of fourth for the FIFA Ballon d'Or.
In March 2014, the Swedish Post Office released a set of five postage stamps showcasing Ibrahimović, celebrating his impact and popularity in Sweden.
On 16 March 2014, Ibrahimović scored both goals in a 2–0 win over Saint-Étienne to surpass Carlos Bianchi's club record of 39 goals in a season.
On 2 August 2014, Ibrahimović scored his first two goals for Paris Saint-Germain against Guingamp in the Trophée des Champions, securing his first silverware of the season. In the first league match, he scored twice in a draw with Reims.
On September 4, 2014, Ibrahimović became the Swedish national team's all-time leading goalscorer, reaching his 50th international goal in a match against Estonia.
In December 2014, Ibrahimović was ranked the second-greatest Swedish sportsperson ever by Dagens Nyheter.
In January 2015, Lyon coach Hubert Fournier accused Ibrahimović of abusing officials, stating that he insults all the referees in the league.
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.
On February 14, 2015, Ibrahimović removed his shirt after scoring to reveal the names of 50 people suffering from hunger, raising awareness for famine in collaboration with the United Nations World Food Programme.
On 4 October 2015, Ibrahimović became Paris Saint-Germain's all-time leading goalscorer with 110 goals in all official competitions after scoring both goals from penalty kicks in a 2–1 win over Marseille.
During an interview in November 2015, Ibrahimović stated that Pep Guardiola was "not a man", referencing their falling-out during his time at Barcelona.
In November 2015, Ibrahimović stated that his Muslim background was not a factor in fans' perception of him, emphasizing respect and his upbringing.
On 4 December 2015, Ibrahimović became the club's all-time top goalscorer in the French first division after scoring twice in PSG's 3–0 win over Nice, surpassing Mustapha Dahleb's previous record of 85 goals.
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.
In 2015, UEFA included Ibrahimović as one of the best players that have not won the UEFA Champions League.
In February 2016, the sports documentary "Becoming Zlatan" was released, chronicling Ibrahimović's early career from Malmö FF and Ajax to his breakthrough with Juventus in 2005.
On 16 February 2016, Ibrahimović scored the opener with a free kick in the 39th minute to help his team win 2-1 against Chelsea. This was Ibrahimović's 116th appearance in the Champions League.
On 14 May 2016, Ibrahimović made his final Ligue 1 appearance for PSG against Nantes, scoring twice in a 4–0 victory and becoming PSG's top scorer in a single Ligue 1 season with 38 goals.
On 8 May 2016, Ibrahimović was named UNFP Ligue 1 Player of the Season for the third consecutive year.
On 1 July 2016, Ibrahimović signed as a free agent for Manchester United on a one-year contract.
In 2016, Ibrahimović joined Manchester United on a free transfer.
On 24 September 2013, it was announced that Ibrahimović had extended his contract with PSG, which would see him stay at the club until 2016.
On 7 August 2016, Ibrahimović scored the match-winning goal for Manchester United in the 2016 FA Community Shield, securing a 2–1 victory against Leicester City.
On 5 February 2017, Ibrahimović became the oldest player to manage at least 15 goals in a single Premier League season at the age of 35 years and 125 days.
At the end of the season, it was announced that Manchester United would release Ibrahimović at the end of his contract on 30 June 2017.
On 24 August 2017, it was announced that Ibrahimović had signed a new one-year contract with Manchester United and that he would be wearing number 10 in his second season with the team.
Exactly a week after his FA Cup debut, Ibrahimović scored two goals, a free-kick and a header (the winning goal), in the 2017 EFL Cup Final to clinch United's fifth League Cup.
In January 2018, Edinson Cavani surpassed Ibrahimović's record as PSG's all-time top scorer.
On 22 March 2018, Manchester United announced that Ibrahimović had agreed to the termination of his contract.
On 23 March 2018, Ibrahimović signed for Major League Soccer (MLS) club LA Galaxy.
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.
On May 21, 2018, Ibrahimović was sent off for slapping Montreal Impact player Michael Petrasso in the head during a game.
In 2018, Ibrahimović humorously revealed that his wife only permits one picture of himself at home, which is a picture of his feet.
On 31 March 2019, Ibrahimović reached 515 career goals, overtaking fellow countryman Gunnar Nordahl to become the Swedish player with the most goals in football history.
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.
In August 2019, Ibrahimović's 500th professional career goal was nominated for the 2019 FIFA Puskás Award for Goal of the Year.
In October 2019, a statue of Ibrahimović was unveiled in his hometown outside Malmö's Stadion, celebrating his legacy.
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.
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.
On 13 November 2019, Ibrahimović announced his departure from the LA Galaxy.
On 27 December 2019, Ibrahimović returned to AC Milan on a free transfer.
In 2019, FourFourTwo magazine named Ibrahimović the third-greatest player never to win the Champions League.
On 11 January 2020, Ibrahimović scored his first goal for Milan since returning, marking a milestone of scoring in each of the last four decades (1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s).
On 15 July 2020, Ibrahimović made his 100th appearance for AC Milan (including his previous stint).
On 31 August 2020, Ibrahimović extended his contract with AC Milan until the summer of 2021.
On 17 September 2020, Ibrahimović scored Milan's first goal of the 2020–21 season in a 2–0 away win over Shamrock Rovers in the second qualifying round of the Europa League.
In November 2020, Ibrahimović hinted at a possible return to the Swedish national team, prompting manager Janne Andersson to discuss the matter with him in Milan.
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.
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.
In February 2021, Ibrahimović was subjected to racist abuse by Red Star Belgrade fans during a Europa League match, leading to an investigation.
In April 2021, Ibrahimović was investigated by UEFA over alleged financial interest in a betting company called "Bethard".
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.
On September 12, 2021, Ibrahimović scored in a 2–0 win over Lazio, becoming the oldest non-Italian player to score in Serie A history, at the age of 39 years and 344 days.
On April 24, 2022, Ibrahimović assisted the winning goal against Lazio, helping Milan to the top spot in the league. Later, on May 22, Milan won the Serie A title, which Ibrahimović dedicated to his late agent, Mino Raiola.
On July 18, 2022, Ibrahimović signed a one-year contract extension with Milan, committing to stay for the following season.
In February 2023, Ibrahimović returned to first-team action for Milan after a nine-month absence due to injury.
In March 2023, after a one-year absence, Zlatan Ibrahimović was included in the Sweden squad for European Championship qualifiers, though he was not slated to start.
In December 2023, RedBird Capital Partners announced the hiring of Ibrahimović as a new senior advisor to AC Milan.