by FFE EU News Staff

Swedish national football team captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been criticised in the past for not singing the national anthem before international matches. But his latest ad with Volvo proves that he can do more than sing the Swedish anthem when patriotism strikes.

According to Volvo, the ad is a celebration of Sweden. In the ad, Zlatan is shown hunting (but not shooting) reindeers and swimming in iced lakes in the wild frontiers of northern Sweden, reflecting Volvo’s rugged and powerful auto.

Zlatan is heard ‘singing’ a revamped national anthem in the background of the ad. He said in an interview that  ‘This is as Sweden looks like 2014. I don’t speak perfect Swedish, but that’s the way it is. A mix everywhere. I can be Swedish all the same. We are all different yet similar. My father is from Bosnia and Muslim. Mum is from Croatia and Catholic. But I was born in Sweden and am a Swedish citizen. You can’t change that. That’s the situation, accept it.’

The 32-year-old striker said that the old anthem ‘was long and boring. It has just never clicked with me to sing these words. [But] this new anthem is just what we need.’

The new ‘Du Gamla, Du Fria’ has been reworked by famous music producer Max Martin. It had generated buzz in the media since circulating in Sweden over the weekend.