One of the 40 new words to enter the Swedish dictionary this year includes their greatest footballer. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is now immortalised in Swedish vocabulary thanks to a French phrase that has caught on in his native country.
‘To Zlatan’ (zlataner in French) originated after Ibrahimovic’s arrival to Paris Saint-Germain this past summer courtesy of French television show Les Guignols de l’info. It soon took off in both France and Sweden as a popular phrase.
According to the Swedish Language Council, ‘to Zlatan’ means “to pursue one’s convictions with force, to dominate.” The definition acknowledges the neologism’s French origins, stating: “from French, referring to footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovic, one that dominates both on and off the pitch.”
Should the French Academy follow their Swedish counterparts, the former Juventus, Inter, and AC Milan player would consider it a “great honour.”
“If the phrase zlataner enters the French dictionary one day, that would truly be a great honour,” Ibrahimovic said in an interview on PSG’s official website.
‘Ibra’ has always been something of a cult figure among football fans for his ability to dominate a match, his unwavering self-confidence, and his quick temper.
Ibrahimovic has come to dominate Ligue 1 this season with the Parisians, scoring 18 goals in 16 matches in addition to notching four assists.
