Swedish great Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been honoured with a statue in his hometown of Malmo.
On Tuesday afternoon, supporters flocked to Malmo’s stadium to see Ibrahimovic himself unveil the bronze statue, commissioned by the Swedish FA in honour of their all-time record goalscorer.
The statue is the work of Swedish artist Peter Linde and stands at 8.9 feet tall while weighing approximately half a ton – taking four years to construct.
Hundred of fans gathered outside the stadium in Malmo as Ibrahimovic addressed the crowd at the venue where he where he made his professional debut as a teenager back in 1999.
At the public event, the charismatic 38-year-old said: ‘When you come to New York you have the Statue of Liberty, when you come to Sweden you have the Statue of Zlatan.’
The effigy pays tribute to his iconic goal celebration, which fans have become accustomed to over time.
Ibrahimovic netted a very impressive 62 goals in 116 games for the Sweden national team.
Back in 2012, Ibrahimovic was also honoured back in Malmo by having his name added to the Walk of Fame of Sports at the Stadium Square in the city.
Ibrahimovic has scored more than 400 goals across his career for a number of top European sides including Barcelona, Paris-Saint Germain and Manchester United.
Source: Daily Mail
