Football
Ben Gladwell, Italy correspondent 8y

PSG star Zlatan Ibrahimovic wins Sweden top player award for 10th time

Zlatan Ibrahimovic said he has proven he is 10 times better than anybody else after being voted Sweden's best footballer for the 10th time.

Ibrahimovic, 34, picked up his ninth straight Guldbollen award -- his 10th in total since 2005 -- on Monday evening.

"Last year, I promised to come here to collect my 10th Golden Ball -- I don't know if I can promise the same thing for next year," Ibrahimovic told the audience in Stockholm, reports thelocal.se.

"But this makes me think of my time as a junior football player in Malmo. I used to sit in the locker room, looking around, and thinking: 'to succeed I have to be 10 times better than everyone else.'

"It feels like I have already managed that. There is no more to say. I have made history again and again. I hope someone else gets to experience what I have experienced. The joy can't be described. Many thanks to all who have been following me from day one."

Ibrahimovic is out of contract with PSG in the summer and approaching the end of a career which he promises to celebrate in a museum when he finally hangs up his boots.

Before that happens, however, he is keen on one final challenge in his career, and it could involve a return to Italy or a move to the U.S.

"I'm attracted by everything, but it has got to be a serious project," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "I have my own ideas. I know what I would like, but it takes two."

Ibrahimovic revealed he had an offer from AC Milan in June, but he turned down their approach to remain at PSG. Had he had his own way, he would never have left the Rossoneri in the first place in 2012.

"San Siro, the city, the people, the language -- I have some beautiful memories [of Milan]," Ibrahimovic said. "I've always said that Italy is my second home. I was very happy there, and if it had been up to me, I would never have left Milan.

"But that chapter's closed now. What happened happened and now I have other objectives, in football and in life."

Ibrahimovic did not elaborate on the reason behind his move to Paris three years ago, but he did confirm that he turned own the opportunity to return to the Rossoneri in the summer.

"I had a concrete offer from Milan and if I had said yes, we would have done the deal," he said. "But we didn't get that far; it was not what I wanted. But I was grateful to Milan. For me, they are the biggest club I ever played for, and I've played for plenty of big clubs.

"Milan are unrivalled -- the way they work, the way they are organised...and what a fantastic squad we had.

"Like I've said, Italy is a second home to me. It's the place where I became famous, with Juventus. I was not an international star yet when I was at Ajax, but that all changed at the Bianconeri. The world opened its eyes and saw me.

"Apart from the year at Barcelona, I played from 2004 to 2012 in Italy and I won Serie A with the three biggest clubs: Juventus, Inter and Milan. I was the top scorer and was named the best player.

"For me, it remains the best league in the world and also the most difficult for an attacker to play in because the priority there is not to concede rather than scoring. In any case, your country will always remain in my heart."

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