Ibrahimovic says statue proves ‘that everything is possible’

Swedish footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s status as one of the country’s greatest players was cemented yesterday when a 3-metre high statue of him was unveiled in his home city of Malmo.“The statue is a symbol that everything is possible,” Ibrahimovic told reporters shortly before the unveiling, saying he believed it could inspire others “in whatever you do.”The golden statue showed a bare-chested Ibrahimovic with raised arms after scoring a goal.“Some players get trophies, some others they get statues, and some they get both,” Ibrahimovic said.”This is the biggest thing that can happen to a person, especially when it’s placed in your home town.”“I’m super proud, it means I have done something that nobody else has. This is the credit,” he added.The statue of LA Galaxy forward Ibrahimovic, who also played for Inter Milan and Manchester United among a string of other top European clubs, is adjacent to Malmo stadium.Ibrahimovic was cheered by over 1,000 fans, including school kids, who chanted “Zlatan, Zlatan” at the ceremony.Also present were sculptor Peter Linde, city mayor Katrin Stjernfeldt Jammeh, and Hakan Sjostrand, secretary general of the Swedish Football Association which donated the statue to the city of Malmo. The footballer is the first living person to have a statue erected in Malmo, Sweden’s third largest city.“I will play as long as I feel physically good,” Ibrahimovic said, adding: “I don’t see many 38-year-old professional players that do what I do.I said I will stop when I’m on top, and I still feel my game is on top.”  He added that he missed European football, where he had made his mark.In a tweet, he had earlier encouraged fans — especially youngsters — to attend, writing: “Zlatan has given all Malmo’s school kids time off to participate at the ceremony.” Despite Ibrahimovic’s star status, his message did not count as an official excuse to skip class, said Sara Wettergren of the Malmo city council in charge of school issues.“Those who opt to go will be marked as bunking off from school, the same rules apply as for those who take part in school strikes for the climate,” she told daily Sydsvenskan.