STOCKHOLM, Nov 18: Inter Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic won the Player of the Year award in Sweden on Monday to become the first ever to win the prize three times.

“Third time’s a charm,” the 27-year-old Ibrahimovic said at the Swedish football federation’s annual televised gala. “Now it feels like I have been written into the history books.”

A native of Malmo, Ibrahimovic has scored seven goals in 12 matches for Inter Milan. He also scored two goals for Sweden at the 2008 European Championship.

“Zlatan is a unique representative of Swedish football at the very highest level,” the prize jury said. “With technique and character he has created a space for himself both in the world elite and in Swedish football history.”

Ibrahimovic, who has played for Juventus, Ajax and Malmo FF, also won the award for best forward and the honourable mention, selected by the public. That award was presented to him by Pele, who won his first World Cup in Stockholm in 1958.

“It feels fantastic,” Ibrahimovic stated. “I feel a little bit like Pele today actually.”—AP