This archive report was first published on 5 January 2020.
Malmo, Sweden, has witnessed another act of vandalism targeting the statue of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, a Swedish football legend. The incident occurred on a weekend, with the perpetrators sawing off the statue at the ankles, leaving only the feet on the plinth.
According to reports, the vandalism was the most severe yet, with the rest of the body leaning over a security fence erected to protect it. The nose of the statue was previously cut off in a pre-Christmas attack.
The words 'take away' in Swedish were sprayed on the ground close to the statue, suggesting a possible motive behind the vandalism. Ibrahimovic, who made his name at Malmo FF before going on to a trophy-laden career in various European leagues, had previously angered fans in Malmo by acquiring a stake in Stockholm rivals Hammarby.
Despite the latest incident, Ibrahimovic is expected to make his first appearance since returning to Serie A on Monday when AC Milan take on Sampdoria at the San Siro stadium.
