Swedish superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic greeted fans of his new club Paris Saint-Germain in an ostentatious presentation ceremony in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris on Wednesday. Having completed his €20million (24.5million USD, £15.7million) move to the ambitious French side from AC Milan earlier in the day, the 30-year-old striker made a brief appearance at the Place du Trocadero to the west of the city centre. In front of several hundred fans, onlookers and journalists, the Sweden captain posed with a PSG jersey before kicking a ball high into the crowd, as Paris' iconic Eiffel Tower shimmered in the sunshine behind him. He was then ushered to a waiting car by security personnel wearing black suits and sunglasses, as supporters chanted 'Ibra! Ibra!' and 'Merci Zlatan!' ('Thank you, Zlatan!'). Earlier, he had appeared in front of the media at PSG's Parc des Princes stadium, after signing a three-year contract that will reportedly earn him €14million a year. "I want to thank Paris Saint-Germain and [sporting director] Leonardo for the great work they've done," Ibrahimovic told reporters. "I think they've made something that looked impossible, possible. I'm very happy to be sitting here. After lots of talks, I'm finally a PSG player. It's a big step in my career, another dream come true. "I think this is a very interesting project and I had no doubts," he added. "In my mind I was very clear and I knew what I wanted. I want to be part of this club's history and I'm pretty sure we will make history. I came here to win, not for anything else and I'm pretty sure we'll win some trophies." It's a big step in my career, another dream come true. Ibrahimovic on his move to PSG Ibrahimovic follows in the footsteps of former Milan colleague Thiago Silva, who completed a move to Paris last week that made the Brazil centre-back the most expensive player in French football history. The departures of Thiago Silva and Ibrahimovic have robbed Milan of their two brightest stars, but Ibrahimovic said he had not been encouraged to leave the cash-strapped San Siro club with whom he won the 2011 Italian title. "No-one at Milan influenced me," he said. "It was my choice and my choice alone. I was very happy to be at Milan. They gave me my smile back [after a disappointing season at Barcelona in 2009-10]. It's a club that will stay in my heart. They helped me and my family and I don't want to put a shadow over my time there. They made it easy for me to come to PSG so I thank them and I wish them all the best." Having seen their side pipped to the Ligue 1 title by Montpellier last season, PSG's owners, Qatar Sports Investments (QSI), have redoubled their efforts to turn the team into one of Europe's leading sides. "I'm very proud to announce our biggest transfer, the superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic," said PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi. "I'm very happy that he's here and that we've signed him today. I'm sure he'll add great value to PSG, but also to the French championship." Ibrahimovic is the fourth player to have joined the club from Serie A this summer, after Thiago Silva, Argentine forward Ezequiel Lavezzi and 19-year-old midfielder Marco Verratti, who was also presented to the press on Wednesday. The signings of Ibrahimovic and Verratti take PSG's spending on transfers alone to around €100million this summer and over €200million since QSI bought the club a year ago. Leonardo said that the acquisition of Ibrahimovic represented the end of the club's summer spending. "The market is closed for new arrivals," he said. "With Zlatan we've finished in the transfer window this year." Ibrahimovic, who underwent a medical examination at a Paris hospital on Wednesday morning, met fans outside the PSG club store on the Champs Elysees after the press conference, before being whisked to the Eiffel Tower. Formerly of Malmo, Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona and Milan, Ibrahimovic has won league titles in three different countries and finished as the top scorer in Serie A last season.

United start world tour with narrow win Manchester United started a six-game pre-season world tour with a 1-0 win over AmaZulu before a capacity 50,000 crowd at Moses Mabhida Stadium Wednesday. Federico Macheda scored the winner midway through the first half for the Red Devils, who came closest to increasing the lead just before time when another Italian, substitute Davide Petrucci, rattled the crossbar. It was a closer match than anticipated, with many South Africans believing mid-table AmaZulu would be swept aside by the former European champions even though they were lacking many first-choice players like Wayne Rooney. Political icon Nelson Mandela, the first democratically elected president of South Africa, was remembered before the kick-off with the teams wishing him a happy 94th birthday in song. "My players tired during the second half which was quite even," said United manager Sir Alex Ferguson. "I'm happy with the result and it was nice to give Nelson Mandela a birthday present of a United victory. I gave a few young players a chance tonight and we have high hopes for two or three of them. Jesse Lingard has got a lot of potential and Scott Wootton impressed in the heart of defence." United left new signing Shinji Kagawa from Japan on the bench as they started with a mix of experienced stars like captain Rio Ferdinand and young players Robbie Brady, Scott Wootton, Frederic Veseli and Jesse Lingard. I gave a few young players a chance tonight and we have high hopes for two or three of them. United boss Sir Alex Ferguson The Red Devils were quick into their stride on a clear mid-winter evening in the Indian Ocean city of Durban and could have taken the lead inside two minutes had Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez been sharper. Kapini failed to grasp a close-range Macheda shot and the ball fell invitingly for the Mexican in front of goal, but he failed to connect with the ball and it was hastily cleared. United were dominant in the early stages against nervous opponents and the 2012 English Premier League runners-up to Manchester City would not have been flattered by a three-goal lead after ten minutes. Macheda broke the deadlock on 20 minutes by finishing off good work from Paul Scholes and Dimitar Berbatov with a close-range shot that touched the hand of the AmaZulu goalkeeper and the foot of a defender before crossing the line. The goal triggered greater urgency from AmaZulu, a mid-table South African Premiership side coached by Swede Roger Palmgren, and Ayanda Dlamini twice threatened the visiting defence. Bulgarian Berbatov was unlucky not to score a second goal for United before half-time as his sweetly struck volley off a corner was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Zimbabwean Kapini. A frenetic start to the second half saw both teams come close to scoring and AmaZulu posed more of a threat as it progressed, although they were continually let down by wild shooting. Kagawa, a June signing from German champions Borussia Dortmund, finally came on one minute from time after a prolonged wait on the touchline before the ball went out of play. United play Ajax Cape Town Saturday before flying to China for a midweek clash against Shanghai Shenhua, the club that recently signed Chelsea's UEFA Champions League hero Didier Drogba. The Old Trafford club will also face Valerenga in Norway, Barcelona in Sweden and Hanover in Germany during a 22,000-mile (35,400-kilometre) pre-season tour before opening their Premier League campaign against Everton.

Schelin: We can beat the best ( Though regular qualifiers and invariably ranked among the favourites, Sweden have yet to win a major global competition. Lotta Schelin and her team-mates came close to putting that record straight at the FIFA Women’s World Cup Germany 2011™, where they eventually had to make do with third place after an impressive run. Speaking exclusively to FIFA.com, the Lyon forward reflected on the lessons of the past and voiced her optimism at Sweden’s chances of finally striking gold in the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament at London 2012. “We know we haven’t been given an easy group, but we can beat Canada, even though they are a very good team and always perform well,” said Schelin, assessing one of Sweden’s opponents in Group F, which also features South Africa and Japan, the side she expects to push them hardest for first place in the section. “We’re aware that whoever finishes third will still have a chance of going through, but our objective is to win all our matches.” Unfinished business Coming as it does a little over a year after their semi-final defeat to the eventual world champions at Germany 2011, Sweden’s meeting with Japan presents the Scandinavians with an opportunity to exact some revenge. That third place at the last World Cup has boosted our confidence going into the Olympics. Lotta Schelin on Sweden's chances “The Japanese are very strong, but when we played them we didn’t perform the way we had been doing earlier in the tournament,” explained the 28-year-old striker, reflecting on the fact that Sweden had as good a chance as ever of going all the way in Germany after having beaten the mighty USA in the group phase. The Swedes’ momentum was checked, however, by injury to their midfield linchpin and skipper Caroline Seger, forcing her to pull out of the starting line-up just before kick-off in that fateful semi-final. Taking full advantage of Seger’s absence, Homare Sawa and Co then turned in a superb team display to win 3-1. “They played a great game, but that was also because we weren’t 100 per cent and we lost our bearings a bit on the pitch,” lamented the Lyon player, who gained some consolation by helping the Swedes to victory in the match for third place against a France side containing several of her club colleagues. Born in Trangsund, near Stockholm, Schelin nevertheless believes that Japan’s win was good for women’s football, and that the fact that a different team came through to claim the ultimate prize is an indication of how much the women’s game has improved. Turning to Sweden’s hopes for London, she said: “That third place at the last World Cup has boosted our confidence going into the Olympics. Our performances there showed that we can beat the best. We used to beat the USA in friendlies but the fact that we defeated them in a World Cup changes a lot of things for us from a mental viewpoint. It’s in those kinds of tournaments that the real matches are played.” Third time lucky? Currently preparing for the third Olympics of her brilliant career, Schelin believes that the absence of Germany from London 2012 is another encouraging sign for the Swedes: “The Germans are very strong and they’ve often blocked our path. In 2008 we lost to them in extra time in the quarter-finals, and I almost felt a sense of relief when I found out they wouldn’t be there this year (laughs). A medal would make all the difference. We finished fourth in 2004 and nobody remembers that. Lotta Schelin on her Olympic dream “Along with the USA, Germany used to snaffle up pretty much all the titles, but these days you have to watch out for Brazil, Japan and Sweden too.” The Lyon star’s first appearance at the Games came in Athens eight years ago. “I’d only played four times for my country and I didn’t think I’d make the side,” she said. “There was another striker with a pretty similar game to me, but she got injured and the coach put her faith in me. I was only 20 and I didn’t fully appreciate the significance of it all.” Since then Schelin has gone on to become one of the greatest players in the women’s game. Indeed, she has just enjoyed unquestionably the best season of her career, winning a historic French Cup, French league and UEFA Champions League treble with Lyon and scoring the small matter of 38 goals in the process. The trip to London could hardly have come at a better time for the Swedish sensation, who is at the peak of her powers and has genuine designs on a place on the podium. “A medal would make all the difference,” she said. “We finished fourth in 2004 and nobody remembers that.” Intent on making up for past disappointments, the determined Schelin has her sights set on one thing only: leaving London with a much coveted piece of gold hanging from her neck.

New York, Houston close on leaders e Thierry Henry's stunning second-half strike secured a 1-0 Major League Soccer win for the New York Red Bulls against Chicago Fire on Wednesday. The former Arsenal and Barcelona striker controlled a diagonal pass on his chest before unleashing a left-footed volley which flew in off the far post in the 71st minute. The victory lifted New York to second place in the Eastern Conference standings - one point adrift of Sporting Kansas City, who went down 2-1 against Houston at BBVA Compass Stadium. Calen Carr's netted a goal in each half for the Dynamo, with Kei Kamara's 42nd-minute equaliser for Sporting in between. The Los Angeles Galaxy scored twice in the final 10 minutes to salvage a 2-2 draw against Vancouver at BC Place. David Beckham's deflected shot and 17-year-old Jose Villarreal's curling strike - his first MLS goal - nicked the point for the defending MLS Cup champions after first-half goals from Gershon Koffie and Barry Robson had put the Whitecaps in the driving seat. Montreal edged New England 2-1 at Stade Saputo, Sanna Nyassi's brilliant second-half volley proving the difference between the teams after Patrice Bernier's penalty opener for the Impact had been cancelled out by Lee Nguyen before the break. The Western Conference-leading San Jose Earthquakes extended their advantage to seven points over Real Salt Lake with a 2-1 win against FC Dallas. First-half goals from Marvin Chavez and Alan Gordon put the hosts in command before Hernan Pertuz grabbed an 89th-minute consolation. Toronto FC clinched their third straight win with a come-from-behind 2-1 victory against Colorado 2-1 at BMO Field. Ryan Johnson and substitute Andrew Wiedeman were on target in the second half to condemn the Rapids - who had taken a first-half lead through Conor Casey - to a fourth consecutive loss. Finally, Miller Bolanos' 16th-minute goal gave Chivas USA a 1-0 triumph over the Portland Timbers at the Home Depot Center.

Goal sprees and a Swedish sensation Goal sprees from Atletico Mineiro, Kashiwa Reysol and Los Angeles Galaxy make FIFA.com’s latest statistical review, along with a 16-year-old Swede, a club-changing Uruguayan and a Shakhtar Donetsk rout. 16 years and 269 days was the age at which Melker Hallberg rose from the bench to snatch Kalmar a 2-1 comeback victory over Swedish Allsvenskan leaders Elfsborg in Round 15 on Sunday. A header from Daniel Mendes, 31, had cancelled out a sumptuous curler from the 36-year-old Anders Svensson, before the former made way for Hallberg in the 73rd minute. The midfielder was probably only summoned from the bench because captain Henrik Rydstrom, who made his Kalmar debut two years before Hallberg was born, was suspended. The teenager, who has been likened to Freddie Ljungberg, nevertheless took his chance in style, collecting the ball from the right flank in the last minute, cutting inside and cracking home a superb strike from outside the box for his maiden Allsvenskan goal. The result allowed Malmo, who were six points behind Elfsborg having played a game more heading into Round 11, cut the leaders’ gap to just three points with the teams having played 15 times apiece. 16 clubs have now been defended by Sebastian Abreu – including two in different spells – after the striker debuted for Figueirense on Saturday. A recent loan move from Botafogo made the Florianopolis outfit the 35-year-old’s third Brazilian employers, while he has also played in his native Uruguay, Argentina, Spain, Mexico, Israel and Greece. And Abreu’s Figueira bow appeared set to end successfully when he left the field in the 63rd minute of the visit of Atletico Mineiro, given that he had led the line impressively and his side had recovered from an early Ronaldinho penalty to establish a 3-1 lead. However, three goals in the space of 11 minutes thereafter – from Leonardo Silva, Bernard and Guilherme - thrust Atletico to a thrilling 4-3 victory that kept them two points clear of Vasco da Gama at the Brasileirao summit. 6 unanswered goals was what Shakhtar Donetsk put past Arsenal to equal their biggest Ukrainian Premier League win since May 2001 and get their 2012/13 campaign off to a flying start. Armenia forward Henrikh Mkhitaryan continued his fine form of last season by scoring a brace and setting up another two to earn the man-of-the-match award, while Brazilians Fernandinho and Alex Teixeira, who cheekily scored with his chest, also caught the eye at the Donbass Arena. Shakhtar, who took maximum points from their last nine games of 2011/12 to outsprint Dynamo Kyiv to the line and seize their sixth championship in eight attempts, have now won their last ten league matches. Furthermore, Mircea Lucescu’s men have emerged triumphant – and kept clean sheets – in each of their last four season curtain-raisers. 4 goals in nine first-half minutes is what propelled Los Angeles Galaxy to a 5-3 win away to Portland Timbers on Saturday, and tied their own record for the fastest four-goal spree in Major League Soccer history. Bruce Arena’s defending champions were trailing to a Kris Boyd opener when David Beckham’s spectacular 35-yard curler restored parity in the 19th minute, and the former England captain swiftly put them ahead with another superb strike, this time from a trademark free-kick. On 27 minutes, Landon Donovan converted a penalty to make it 3-1, and a minute later the same player set up Robbie Keane to increase the lead and equal the record the Galaxy themselves set in 2004, when they raced into a 4-0 advantage en route to a 4-2 defeat of DC United. Donovan’s role in the California outfit’s fourth goal made him just the sixth player of all time to reach 100 regular-season assists in the MLS, after Steve Ralston (135), Carlos Valderrama (114), Preki (112), Jaime Moreno (102) and Marco Etcheverry (101). The Galaxy, who were bottom of the Western Conference little over a month ago after collecting just one point from a possible 21, are now fifth in the section having won five of their last seven outings. 3 goals in eight last-gasp minutes is what Kashiwa Reysol struck to turn a deficit away to Shimizu S-Pulse into a 5-3 win as the second half of the J.League got underway. Former Asian Footballer of the Year Shinji Ono missed the chance to score the 1,000th goal of S-Pulse’s history from the spot, but after a Leandro Domingues penalty had put the visitors ahead, Genki Omae made no mistake from 12 yards to equalise with that landmark goal. Despite having had defender Keisuke Iwashita sent off at the end of the first half, Shimizu raced into a 3-1 lead thanks to efforts from Naohiro Takahara and Alex Brosque. Kashiwa’s Jorge Wagner and Shimizu’s Yutaka Yoshida then received red cards to reduce the teams to ten and nine men respectively, before Masato Kudo’s 75th-mniute volley gave Reysol a glimmer of hope. With two minutes of normal time remaining, however, the game looked like ending 3-2 in the hosts’ favour, until Wataru Hashimoto levelled the scores, Koki Mizuno edged the defending champions ahead, and Masato Kudo, with virtually the last kick of the match deep into stoppage time, completed a dramatic 5-3 success. Although S-Pulse scored three times as many goals in 90 minutes at the weekend than they did in their previous six games, they are now winless in eight. Reysol, meanwhile, have won six successive away contests - scoring 11 goals in the last two of those – and sit fifth, six points behind Sanfrecce Hiroshima, who knocked Vegalta Sendai off top spot for the first time since Round 2.

All eyes on Cairo in Champions League The second matchday of the group stage in the CAF Champions League could go a long way to deciding who escapes into the semi-finals of Africa’s biggest club competition. Game of the week Zamalek – Al Ahly Not only have Egyptian giants Zamalek and Al Ahly been the most successful teams in the history of the competition, with five and six titles respectively, but they are fierce local rivals trying to one-up each other in a difficult time for Egypt and Egyptian football. With domestic action still a question mark, continental play is the only respite for the players and supporters of these proud clubs, and so a run further than the group stage would be seen as a massive triumph. The security situation also means that the hugely-anticipated contest will be played behind closed doors at the Military Academy Stadium on Sunday. Al Ahly have dealt better with the last six months of crisis as Zamalek have struggled with fitness, want-away players and financial loss. The latest concern for the Whites is a thin backline hit by injuries to Mahmoud Fathalla and Salah Soliman and suspension for Hani Saied. One bright spot is new striker Abdoulaye Cisse, who scored a brace in his debut – a shock 3-2 defeat to Berekum Chelsea on the first Group B matchday. Al Ahly won their opening contest: a massive 2-1 victory over TP Mazembe that could leave them in the driver’s seat if they win the derby. Other matches Elsewhere in Group B, four-time African champions Mazembe will try to rebound against the Ghanaian upstarts named after the current European champions. The DR Congo side were sluggish in their defeat to Ahly, and will be anxious to claim full points in front of their fans at the new Stade TP Mazembe in Lubumbashi as they look for a third title in four years. The Crows have a potent attack that has yet to lift off in this competition apart from a 6-0 mauling of Zimbabwe’s Power Dynamos back in April, and they will be dealing with the suspension of both Joel Kimwaki and Luka Lungu. Chelsea have a breakout star in Emmanuel Clottey, who nabbed an impressive hat-trick against Zamalek to take his competition-best total to nine goals – four better than the next closest player. In Group A, the Tunisian duo of Esperance and Etoile du Sahel are at home trying to consolidate away wins in the first round. Holders Esperance are hosting Algerian side ASO Chlef on Friday, and the Blood and Gold top the group on goal difference with an eye towards August’s match against their domestic rivals. Algerian international Mohamed Youssef Belaili could make his debut for Esperance in Rades after the young striking prospect’s transfer from MC Oran. In transformative pre-season mode, Chlef also have a new recruit in Cameroonian Anisat Eninga, who will hope to spark a sometimes sluggish attack, and they will welcome back Samir Zaoui from suspension even as Walid Hichri will miss out through surgery. Nigeria’s Sunshine Stars also may call on a new face as they travel to face ESS after signing winger John Owoeri, who has spent time in the Netherlands, Belgium and Egypt. Player to watch Despite being linked to some of Europe’s biggest clubs, Esperance’s Youssef Msakni recently announced he would be transferring to Qatar’s Lekhwiya at the end of the year. The delay is so that the Tunisian starlet can help his side defend their continental crown and go out with a big finish at the FIFA Club World Cup, and he has scored in every round of Champions League action so far – including a fortnight ago against Sunshine Stars. The stat 13 – The record number of goals scored by an individual in a Champions League campaign, accomplished in 2008 by Stephen Worgu for Enyimba, but within reach for Berekum Chelsea’s in-form Clottey. What they said "When Ahly play Zamalek the matches are the biggest dates on the Egyptian football calendar no matter the time or the tournament and under any circumstances,” Ahly manager Hossam El Badry. Have your say Who will win the big Cairo derby on Sunday?

Vallar: Football is my whole life Nicolas Vallar is one of the latest footballers to prove the maxim that the cream always rises to the top. The Tahiti international, however, has had to wait longer than most for his ascent to glory. After spending the best part of a decade in France, Vallar is now back playing in his homeland, where he finally appears to be living the dream. Just a year after his return to the South Pacific island, the 28-year-old defender helped his club, AS Dragon, to the league title, and lifted the 2012 OFC Nations Cup with the Tahiti national team. Those recent triumphs carry huge significance for Vallar’s club and country. Dragon’s conquest was the first in their 44-year history, while Tahiti’s Nations Cup victory made them the first side other than Australia or New Zealand to take the continental crown since the competition’s creation in 1973. “It’s a reward for my past struggles,” Vallar, a central figure in both of those historic achievements, told FIFA.com. “After having so many doubts, I proved to myself that I could still make it back to the highest level.” Vallar is understandably savouring his new-found success, which has been a long time in the making. After moving to France to join Angers as a 16-year-old, he continued his development with a number of lower-league clubs before achieving promotion to Ligue 2 with Sete. “That was when the troubles started,” Vallar said. Indeed, injuries, coaching decisions and fruitless trials combined to dent his hopes of making it as a professional footballer. “I found myself without a club or an agent," he explained. "It was a very difficult period." I get another chance to join a big club in Europe or elsewhere, I’ll take it. I have no ties: I’m single with no children, and football is my whole life. Nicolas Vallar Vallar has enjoyed a rapid upturn in fortunes since moving back to Tahiti one year ago, and the coming season already appears full of promise. Not only will he play in the OFC Champions League with Dragon, but he will also represent Oceania with Tahiti at the FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil 2013. “It’s every footballer's dream to play against the biggest nations and the best players in the world,” said Vallar, captain of a Tahiti side that sits 138th on the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking. “That’s even more true for a small team like ours.” Big-game performer Tahiti coach Eddy Etaeta had little hesitation in giving Vallar the captain’s armband. “He has a great athletic presence and is very aggressive on his man,” Etaeta told FIFA.com. “I can tell you that the forwards who’ve faced him this year have been left feeling rather dazed. That's what our national team had really been lacking. “He is a very reassuring presence in defence. The remarkable thing is that he does it all cleanly: in five Nations Cup matches, he only received one yellow card. He was voted player of the tournament, which is very rare for a defender. I think his best match was the final against New Caledonia. The mark of great players is that they succeed in big matches.” Vallar prefers, modestly, to attribute his side’s success to their all-round team spirit. “What I like about this group is that none of the young players tried to put themselves before the team. Many of them came from the U-20 side that played in the World Cup in Egypt in 2009.” These visible signs of progress for Tahitian football are the result of a long-term effort to improve facilities and training methods in the country. And Vallar, for his part, does not want Tahiti to go to Brazil in 2013 just to make up the numbers. “We mustn’t be too overawed, and I hope we play our own style of football,” he said. “We don’t want to look like fools and have regrets later on. For now, we’re still on our island, in our little world, and I don’t think we’ve yet realised just what lies in store for us. “I think it could be a good opportunity for our young players to make names for themselves. I feel good here, for sure. But if I get another chance to join a big club in Europe or elsewhere, I’ll take it. I have no ties: I’m single with no children, and football is my whole life.”