Zlatan Ibrahimovic disappointed to finish 'second best' in all-time Swedish list

Former tennis ace Bjorn Borg, who won 11 grand slam singles titles, took the number one ranking in a chart produced by the high-circulation Dagens Nyheter newspaper.

But footballer Ibrahimovic felt he should have been the clear victor, and he told the newspaper there was no satisfaction in being ranked behind anybody.

Ibrahimovic was congratulated for his lofty position, and said: "Thanks, but coming second is like coming last."

Asked who would be on his list, Ibrahimovic added: "On the list I am first, second, third, fourth and fifth, with all due respect to others."

Borg headed a list that included, in third place, table tennis player Jan-Ove Waldner, followed in the top 10 by golfer Annika Sorenstam, skier Ingemar Stenmark, heptathlete Carolina Kluft, walker Ingemar Johansson, skier Gunde Svan, ice hockey player Peter Forsberg and canoer Gert Fredriksson.

Borg's fellow tennis stars Mats Wilander and Stefan Edberg ranked 26th and 30th, with former Sweden footballers Tomas Brolin and Henrik Larsson 35th and 37th respectively.

Ibrahimovic, who is the Sweden national team's record goalscorer, has played for clubs including Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Barcelona and his present side, Paris St Germain.

There was no suggestion his stance on being denied the top spot was because five-time Wimbledon champion Borg was the man chosen ahead of him.

As Ibrahimovic told the newspaper: "Bjorn Borg is a cool person and a living legend."