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Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the man (ahem, sorry, 'God') with 570 career goals including over 500 club goals, 31 trophies including 11 league titles in 4 different European leagues, a Puskas award, a Golden Foot award and 11 Ballon d'Or nominations is, without a doubt, one of the most decorated players of all time. The 6-and-a-half foot giant, who turns 40 this October, is still going strong in Serie A. He scored 15 goals in 19 matches for AC Milan last season and is showing no sign of slowing down.
The Swede is known for conquering every league he plays in. Here, we rank the top 5 stints of Zlatan Ibrahimovic in club football.
(Ratings are relative, with 5 being an average performance)
Paris Saint-Germain (2012-16)
Come on now, was there even a choice? Be it in terms of output or in terms of impact, only a few have had a stint as impressive as Ibrahimovic's at Qatari backed PSG from 2012 to 2016. The former Malmo player propelled Les Parisians to further rungs of success, making them one of the elite clubs in football.
In his first game for PSG, he scored twice to help PSG salvage a 2-2 draw after being 2-0 down at half-time against Lorient. He proved just how quickly he can make a colossal impact on the team. The 3-time Ligue 1 Player of the Season scored 156 goals in just 180 games and undeniably finished as the top scorer on three occasions.
With Ibra in their team, PSG finished atop of Ligue 1 every season, won the Coupe de France on two occasions, the Coupe de la Ligue on three and the Trophée des Champions on three as well. His most notable feat for PSG, however, came in the 2015-16 season. The talismanic forward scored an astonishing 38 goals in just 31 games, the second-highest tally ever recorded in Ligue 1.
Indisputably, he made it to the PSG Hall of Fame, a list of members which includes the likes of Pauleta, Ronaldinho and Weah. Known for his outrageous quotes, the striker only missed out on the Champions League whilst at PSG, a trophy which has eluded him throughout his career.
Rating: 10/10
Inter Milan (2006-09)
Inter won the race to sign the latest hot-property in 2006 from Serie A rivals Juventus. The Old Lady, at the time, were relegated from the league due to their involvement in the Calciopoli scandal.
In his first season at the San Siro, Ibrahimovic top-scored for Inter in the league, guiding them to the Serie A title with a record 97 points. In 38 matches, they collected 30 wins, 7 draws and just 1 defeat. The €25 million striker reportedly signed a new 6-year contract in 2007 that made him the world's highest paid footballer.
Ibrahimovic won the league in all three seasons he played for Inter, with the 2008-09 season being his most fruitful campaign. He scored an impressive 25 goals in the league. Although Inter were knocked out of the Champions League in the Round of 16 in all three seasons, a young and hungry Ibrahimovic tore Serie A apart.
He was rewarded with the Serie A Footballer of the Year as well as the Foreign Footballer of the Year award twice in succession for his exploits in the league. Along with 3 Scudettos, Ibrahimovic also won the Supercoppa Italiana twice. With 66 goals and 30 assists in 117 appearances under Manchini and Mourinho, Ibra had three incredible seasons for La Beneamata.
Rating: 9/10
AC Milan (2010-2012 and Dec 2019-present)
After a forgettable year-long stay at FC Barcelona, the Catalan club loaned out Ibrahimovic to AC Milan in 2010, a deal that was made permanent the following year. The move, later on, made Zlatan the only player in history to score at least 10 goals for three of Serie A's best clubs: Juventus, AC Milan and Inter Milan.
During his first stint for the Rossoneri, which lasted two years, Ibrahimovic won yet another Scudetto as well as the Supercoppa Italiana. His plaudits earned him his third Serie A Player of the Year accolade (a feat only equalled by Andrea Pirlo) in 2011 and the Capocannoniere award in the 2011-12 season. He was the top scorer for AC Milan in both campaigns, notching 56 goals in 85 matches in two stellar seasons.
It was during his time at AC Milan that he firmly established himself as one of the greatest strikers of his generation. Alas, amid the club's financial troubles, Ibrahimovic was sold to PSG in 2012.
Currently, in his second stint as a Rosseneri, Ibrahimovic shows no indication of abating. The acrobatic striker came to the rescue of a club that had lost its charm since his previous spell. He proved to be a spark plug for a young and inexperienced side and changed the fortunes of the players and the club itself.
Returning from MLS side LA Galaxy and in the twilight of his career, many doubted his form and fitness. Clearly, everyone was made to bite their tongues. With 20 direct goal contributions in 27 matches last season, the attacker is sharp as ever, even as he nears his 40th birthday.
The enigmatic striker has been scoring goals for fun and has already signed a contract extension that keeps him at AC Milan until 2022. We can't wait to see what Zlatan Ibrahimovic has in store for us this season!
Rating: 8/10
LA Galaxy (2018-Dec 2019)
Now, I know a lot of you might be thinking about United and how Ibrahimovic at least won some silverware there. However, in terms of his individual impact and return in front of goal, the City of Angels are forever indebted to him. They shall never forget the eccentric way a humble Ibrahimovic announced his arrival at LA Galaxy. If you have rusty pre-pandemic memory, here, take a look for yourself:
The Swede's first appearance for the LA Galaxy came on March 31 as a substitute against cross-city rivals Los Angeles FC, his first El Tráfico derby. It's fair to say he became an instant fan-favourite, scoring not one but two incredible goals. A breath-taking 45-yard half volley and a sublime header in stoppage time helped the team come from three goals down to win the match 4–3.
For a while, MLS seemed to be Ibrahimovic's backyard, where the striker scored 53 goals in just 58 appearances. He scored his 500th pro-career goal in style against Toronto FC, with a magical acrobatic effort that earned a Puskas nomination.
The ever so modest Ibrahimovic penned down a tear wrenching good-bye letter (in his own way, might I add), towards the end of 2019. It would be an understatement to say that he announced his departure from the MLS with the same flair and poise as he had on his arrival.
Rating: 8/10
Manchester United (2016-2018)
'Can he do it on a cold, rainy night in Stoke?'
Of course, he can!
At 34 years of age, when other players would rather go to Asia or America to extend their careers, Ibrahimovic chose to take up a new challenge in the Premier League. The Reds have been a team in crisis ever since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. They were in desperate need of a man to lead by example. And look who they turn to!
A move to United implied a reunion with former coach Jose Mourinho, under whom he tasted abundant success at the San Siro. He proved his worth by scoring a brace in the League Cup final and an exquisite match-winning header in the FA Community Shield. Nonetheless, he also won the Europa League at Manchester United. A 28-goal debut season by a 35-year old player in a PL club is nothing short of other-worldly, to say the least.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic went on to score 29 goals in 53 games, averaging more than a goal every two games. He became the oldest player to score 15 goals in the PL while at the Red Devils. The charismatic forward also became the first ever player to represent seven different clubs in the Champions League.
Rating: 7/10
