#19 Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Few players boast a more decorated career than sensational Swede, Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The now 35-year-old has won the top domestic league title in practically every country he’s played in, having secured the Eredivisie, La Liga, Ligue 1 and Serie A. Regarded as one of the most clinical forwards in the history of the modern game, Zlatan is also his nation’s all-time leading goalscorer with 62 goals, while he scored 113 goals with his previous club side PSG.
Despite a fair dosing of criticism since making the switch to Old Trafford, the fearsome frontman is the club’s top scorer this season, with 12 goals in 17 appearances, having created a further 28 goal-scoring opportunities, the second highest in United’s ranks behind Paul Pogba. At present, Ibrahimovic trails leader Lionel Messi as 2016’s Top Scorer by two goals and it really has been a defining twelve months in the Swede’s career.
As well as his phenomenal football prowess, Ibrahimovic is also renowned for his pantomime arrogance and tendency to refer to himself in third person. He once went as far as claiming, “I can’t help but laugh at how perfect I am.” It’s a fair statement given his current form, legendary success and overall ability but Ibrahimovic’s failure to have been successful in European competition or internationally, plus the fact he is ultimately on the brink of becoming a waning talent at his age, means perfection and a spot in the top five is just out of reach.
