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What Zlatan Ibrahimovic does always makes the news. When the 33-year-old managed to get himself booked after just two minutes for taking off his shirt to celebrate his goal for Paris Saint-Germain, it might have come across as one of the many tantrums he keeps throwing. But in reality it was a lot more.
Zlatan gave his side the lead after scoring one of his trademark kung-fu kick goals. Following the goal, he took his shirt off to celebrate, and was duly booked. However, he had decided to strip for reasons far more pressing as a closer look at the Swede’s tattoos revealed 15 names of people suffering from hunger that have been temporarily inked on the superstar’s body.
The act was Zlatan’s unique way of supporting the United Nation’s World Food Programme.
He said, “When I took my shirt off against Caen, everybody asked what these new tattoos were. I had 15 removable tattoos on my body, they are the names of real people who are suffering from hunger in the world. [While] those tattoos have gone now, these people are still here ... I hope that you can see them through me.”
“Wherever I go people recognise me, call my name, cheer me. But there are names no one cheers for. If I could, I would write every single name on my body. But there are 805 million people suffering from hunger in the world today ... So whenever you hear my name, you will think of their names. Whenever you see me, you will see them.”
Zlatan’s association with the WFP
The WFP has helped 805 million hungry people in the world and 15 of the names were chosen by Zlatan to be on his body as a symbolic representation of what currently is the worst humanitarian crisis plaguing the world. Ibrahimovic certainly took one for humanity this time around as he has been suspended for the next match owing to the celebration.
Ibrahimovic is connected with the WFP famine awareness programme. Marina Catena, director of the WFP in France, said, “I had a dream that someone could convey this message in a simple way. We thought of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is always asked for his autograph. So why shouldn’t it be Zlatan who has the autographs on his body this time? We’re proud that he accepted to convey this message.”
Take a look at the enlightening video featuring the indomitable Swede:
