Zlatan Ibrahimovic's Malmo Statue Set on Fire After Becoming Hammarby Part Owner
Nov 27, 2019
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 24: Zlatan Ibrahimovic #9 of Los Angeles Galaxy reacts to the referee for a foul during a 5-3 LAFC win in the Western Conference Semifinals at Banc of California Stadium on October 24, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
A statue of Zlatan Ibrahimovic in his native Malmo, Sweden, was set on fire Wednesday in an apparent reaction to the legendary striker purchasing a stake in rival club Hammarby.
ESPN reported the news. Here's a look at the fire:
Ibrahimovic recently parted ways with the MLS' Los Angeles Galaxy after two years with the club.
"Hammarby is a fantastic club with passionate supporters and has great respect in both Stockholm and Sweden," he said. "I have always liked the club and the fans. I am impressed with what the club has done in recent years, both on and off the pitch. Being able to join and develop Hammarby forward feels both fun and exciting."
The 38-year-old striker started his football career with Malmo as a youth player and has gone on to make stops with some of the sport's biggest clubs—Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United.
Kaveh Hosseinpour, the vice-chairman of Malmo's supporters' group, told Steve Douglas of the Associated Press they were caught off guard by Ibra's Hammarby decision.
"A betrayal became a betrayal and a provocation," Hosseinpour said. "So he basically stuck a knife in our backs, and then he came along with a sword and chopped off our heads."
Along with his decorated club career, Ibrahimovic made 116 appearances for Sweden at the international level.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic Becomes Part-Owner of Swedish Club Hammarby
Nov 27, 2019
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has become a co-owner of Swedish club Hammarby, acquiring a stake in the Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), which is also L.A. Galaxy's main investor.
AEG confirmed the move on Twitter:
⚽️ Excited to continue our relationship with Zlatan, one of the world’s most respected + experienced players, who will be acquiring 50% of our ownership interest in @Hammarbyfotboll.
He explained why he decided to become a part of the Hammerby project in a statement on AEG's website:
"Hammarby is a great club, with passionate supporters and a respected history in Stockholm and throughout Sweden. I've always admired Hammarby and its fans, and I'm impressed by the club's performance over the past years both on and off the field. I am excited for the opportunity to continue my relationship with AEG while supporting one of the most interesting and influential clubs in Sweden."
Based in Stockholm, Hammarby are relative minnows of Swedish football, winning the national Allsvenskan competition just once. They have been steadily growing since returning to the top flight in 2015, however, and finished the 2019 season in third place, just one point behind champions Djurgardens IF. Ibrahimovic's former club, Malmo, took second place.
A statue in his honour was erected in his hometown earlier this year:
‘Powerhouse’ statue of Swedish soccer player Zlatan Ibrahimovic unveiled in his hometown of Malmo, Sweden pic.twitter.com/Itq9B8fr7O
Per the Mirror's Alex Richards, Hammarby's coach Stefan Billborn told DN he does not believe the veteran will end up playing for the team. Ibrahimovic remains a free agent after a productive two-year stint with L.A. Galaxy, scoring 52 goals in 56 matches.
Per La Reppublica (h/t AS' Jonathan Meaney), he's been linked with the likes of AC Milan, Napoli and Tottenham Hotspur.
