International Football
MALMO SUPPORTERS INSIST ON IBRAHIMOVIC STATUE MUST GO
“We are angry because he believes he can do whatever he likes and still be loved. He doesn’t understand how it is to be a true supporter.”
Simon Bengtsson is just one of many Malmo fans who is not ready to forgive Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
It has been a rough few months for the Sweden legend in his home city.
The veteran striker has seen his legacy as a Malmo icon toppled, both figuratively and literally, as investment in rival Allsvenskan club Hammarby and the boast that he wants to make them “the biggest in Scandinavia” proved the breaking point in a relationship that stretches back 25 years to when he first joined the club as a kid.
The statue honouring Sweden’s record goalscorer was only unveiled in Malmo in October, a beaming Ibrahimovic proclaiming to the sizeable crowd in attendance that it was dedicated to “everyone out there who doesn’t feel welcome”.
The striker was referring to difficulties he faced as an extrovert growing up in then homogenous Sweden – little did he know the statue itself would soon become persona non grata.
In the early hours of 5 January, vandals sawed the sculpture at the ankles until it collapsed, the final blow in a string of attacks following his investment in Hammarby that included cutting off the nose, spray-painting, and even an attempt to set the structure on fire.
The vandals account for the extreme end of the spectrum in the anti-Zlatan crowd, but the feeling of anger and disappointment is widespread.
“I would say a large majority of Malmo fans are disappointed with Zlatan,” Bengtsson tells the BBC. “Nobody I know defends him. Of course some think the vandalism is wrong but at the same time they understand why people have done it.”
Though he never won a trophy in Sweden and played fewer than 50 senior matches for Malmo, the club’s supporters used to see Ibrahimovic’s globetrotting success as a source of personal pride, thrilled to watch one of their own make it big. Now, they feel hoodwinked, and that sense of pride was not reciprocated.
“Before, he was something you were proud of. A global superstar brought up in our club, but now you don’t want to hear anything about him,” Bengtsson insists.
“He thinks we should be grateful for what he did for us but really he won nothing at Malmo. He was sold for a lot of money and that’s all.”
Fellow Malmo fan Alexander Ivanovski explains that there is a strong feeling of betrayal caused by Ibrahimovic’s decision to try to help Hammarby grow and not Malmo: “The reason it cuts so deep is it goes against what he always said. He has always said Malmo is his home town, he will always love Malmo and there is no club that’s bigger or can be bigger”.
The way Ibrahimovic chose to announce the business move made matters even worse, according to Ivanovski. “If he purchased the 25% and didn’t talk about it, or said something about Malmo, it would have been more accepted.
“But he bought a quarter of the club then said he wants to make them the strongest in Scandinavia. He didn’t just put in the knife, he turned it around to damage the Malmo fans even more.”
The outrage is so prevalent in the city that it has created an unwelcome dilemma for the local authority over what they should do with the statue.
Restore it, and the vandalism will likely continue unless resources are invested in tightening security, a move that isn’t likely to go down well among taxpayers in a one-club football-mad city. Move it elsewhere, and the message is that the vandals won.
What lawmakers will not be able to do is bury their heads in the sand. A petition demanding the sculpture be moved already has eight times the necessary number of signatures to ensure it is debated by the local government by the end of February.
Kaveh Houseeinpour, vice chairperson of Malmo’s official fan organisation MFF Support, is in no doubt regarding what should happen.
“We said as soon as he bought a stake in Hammarby that the statue should be moved. It was unavoidable that it would be vandalised unfortunately. For the sake of everyone it should have been moved straight away,” he said.
“After years abroad he has lost his grounding in the city and the club. The Malmo mentality of ‘us against the world’ created Zlatan, Zlatan didn’t create Malmo.”
Ibrahimovic left Malmo 19 years ago, and sold the property he once owned in the city back in 2015, so it is hardly a surprise that he isn’t on top of the zeitgeist there.
Perhaps, as the artist behind the statue suggested earlier this week, the sculpture would strike a better connection in a city where he has spent more of his adult life, and has a greater understanding of the prevailing mood: Milan.
International Football
FIFA Unites 2025 Kicks Off in Morocco, Marks Historic Debut for Afghan Refugee Women’s Team
The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has announced that the inaugural FIFA Unites 2025 women’s competition will take place in Morocco, beginning Sunday, October 26.
According to FIFA, the friendly tournament will feature several women’s national teams and will serve as a landmark event for women’s football, notably marking the first-ever international appearance of the Afghan refugee women’s team.
The side, officially named “Afghan Women United,” was named by the players themselves after consultations with FIFA.
In addition to Afghanistan’s historic participation, the tournament will also see the Libyan and Chadian women’s teams expected to enter the FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking for the first time after the event.
FIFA expressed appreciation to the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) for its cooperation and logistical support in hosting the competition, highlighting Morocco’s growing role as a major hub for women’s football development on the African continent.
The global football governing body also reaffirmed its commitment to advancing women’s football and gender inclusion, emphasizing that the competition is part of its Action Strategy for Afghan Women’s Football, approved by the FIFA Council in May 2025.
The strategy encompasses the organization of competitive opportunities, ongoing technical assistance, and support for Afghan players during the selection and preparation stages.
Through FIFA Unites 2025, the organization aims to promote solidarity, inclusion, and empowerment through sport — underscoring football’s unique role in providing hope and opportunity, particularly for women in challenging circumstances.
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International Football
Again, it is #DestinationMorocco as FIFA takes Women’s Series 2025 to the Kingdom
By Kunle Solaja
FIFA has officially confirmed that the FIFA Unites: Women’s Series 2025 will be hosted by Morocco, with the opening matches scheduled to kick off on Sunday, October 26.
The event marks yet another milestone for Moroccan football, further cementing the kingdom’s growing stature as a global hub for the sport.
The upcoming tournament promises historic firsts for women’s football. The Afghan Women United team—formed from Afghan players living in exile—will play their first-ever international match, while Chad and Libya will make their FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking debuts at the conclusion of the round-robin competition.
In a statement, FIFA expressed gratitude to the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FMRF) for its collaboration and reiterated its commitment to advancing women’s football globally. The world football governing body also reaffirmed its support for Afghan women footballers, no
ting that the FIFA Strategy for Action for Afghan Women’s Football, approved by the FIFA Council in May 2025, continues to guide the federation’s inclusive efforts.
“FIFA looks forward to working closely with the FMRF to host a successful and symbolic tournament that showcases the unifying power of football,” the organization said.
As part of that effort, FIFA confirmed that Afghan Women United was selected as the team’s new official name following consultations with players—a symbolic gesture reflecting unity, resilience, and identity amid global challenges.
Morocco: A Flourishing Football Destination
Morocco’s selection as host comes at a time when the North African nation’s football profile is soaring. The country is currently hosting the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup and, just this week, celebrated another historic milestone as its U-20 men’s team clinched the FIFA U-20 World Cup title—a triumph widely viewed as the fruit of a long-term national sports vision.
A Victory Rooted in Royal Vision
The Lion Cubs’ success is no accident. It stems from a deliberate and structured sports policy championed by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, who has consistently positioned sport as a catalyst for human, social, and territorial development. Since the National Sports Conference of 2008, the King’s leadership has inspired a generation of athletes and administrators to see football as both a unifying national force and a tool for youth empowerment.
The Mohammed VI Football Academy: Cradle of Excellence
Central to Morocco’s football renaissance is the Mohammed VI Football Academy (AMF), inaugurated in 2010. The academy epitomizes the royal vision of using sport as a means of education, personal growth, and international competitiveness. Five players from the victorious U-20 squad—Yassir Zabir, Othmane Kountoune, Fouad Zahouani, Houssam Essadak, and Yassine Khalifi—are proud graduates of the academy.
Investing in Infrastructure and Inclusion
Morocco’s nationwide expansion of local playing fields, regional training centres, and modern football facilities has created a fertile ground for nurturing young talent. This democratization of access to sport has shaped a new generation of Moroccan youth—disciplined, skilled, and confident on the global stage.
The success of both the Atlas Lions at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the Atlas Lionesses, who reached the knockout stages of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, reflects the depth of this comprehensive strategy.
A Beacon of African and Arab Football
With the hosting of the FIFA Unites: Women’s Series 2025 and the country’s string of international achievements, Morocco continues to position itself as a pioneer in African and Arab football. Its success is more than athletic—it is symbolic of a nation where sport drives progress, unity, and pride.
As the Afghan Women United, Chad, and Libya prepare to make history in Morocco this October, the Kingdom once again proves that its football journey is not only national but inspirational—anchored in vision, excellence, and the unifying power of the beautiful game.
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Brazil will round off their 2025 calendar with two friendly matches in Europe next month, taking on Senegal and Tunisia as part of their preparations for the 2026 World Cup, the Brazilian FA (CBF) announced on Thursday.
The five-time world champions, managed by Carlo Ancelotti, will face Senegal on November 15 at Emirates Stadium in London and, three days later, they will meet Tunisia in Lille, France.
The CBF announced that these fixtures were designed to “provide the team with valuable experience against African opposition” ahead of next year’s tournament in North America.
After the conclusion of the South American qualifiers, the choice of opponents follows October’s encounters against Asian teams, which saw Brazil beat South Korea 5-0 but suffer a stunning first defeat to Japan.
With coach Ancelotti facing limited preparation time after arriving in May from Real Madrid, the matches form part of a broader plan to expose Brazil to a variety of playing styles in preparation for next year’s the World Cup.
Looking ahead to March 2026, the CBF has indicated that Brazil’s next set of friendlies will likely be against top-level European nations, with the U.S. as the expected venue.
Ancelotti has been steadily implementing his vision for the squad and has emphasised the importance of adapting to diverse tactical challenges, particularly against teams from other continents.
CBF sources indicated that the plan for the three remaining international breaks would be to make final observations regarding players and tactical adjustments in November, lock in the starting line-up in March and strengthen ties with Brazilian fans with a final friendly at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana before departing for the tournament.
The upcoming friendlies against Senegal and Tunisia will provide an opportunity to test Brazil’s readiness against two of Africa’s strongest sides.
Senegal boast a formidable squad featuring Sadio Mane, Nicolas Jackson and Kalidou Koulibaly. They shocked Brazil 4-2 in their last encounter, a friendly played in Lisbon two years ago.
Tunisia, meanwhile, are known for their defensive organisation and have consistently performed well in African competitions.
Back in September they were the second African team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup with two games to spare.
-Reuters
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