Sweden's Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates against England

The football boots worn by Zlatan Ibrahimovic when he scored the “greatest goal in history” against England this month could raise £10,000 to help sick babies.

Ibrahimovic's boots, signed by the man himself

His boots helped seal a 4-2 drubbing for England in Stockholm with Ibrahimovic’s acrobatic overhead scissor-kick. The boots are also record-breakers – having been worn by the only player ever to score four goals against England in one match.

Now they have been signed by the man himself and have found their way into the hands of fellow Swede and West Bromwich Albion defender Jonas Olsson.

He has decided to auction them to help the Winnicott Foundation, which supports the premature and critically ill baby unit at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington.

Olsson decided to sell the boots after receiving help from doctors when his daughter Iris Annabelle was born seven weeks early.

He said: “Although our daughter was born in Sweden all through the pregnancy and now, of course, my partner Frida and I were living in Birmingham and London so we were looking for a charity based in the UK.

“We found the charity Winnicott Foundation and we really liked what it stands for. We want to raise awareness of premature births as it’s something very close to our hearts.”

The money is likely to help provide more and better support for parents while their babies are cared for.

Run in a raffle style, “bidders” have to donate a minimum of £5 to Olsson’s Just Giving page to be in with a chance of winning the boots. Olsson has donated £5,000 himself.

Pippa Jones, chief executive of the Winnicott Foundation, said: “Having a premature baby changes your life and the Winnicott Foundation is here to try to make things easier for families and support Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust’s incredible neonatal staff in providing the best care for babies.

“Jonas’ support means that we can meet the immediate and longer-term needs of babies needing neonatal care that the NHS may not be able to fund and support families to be with their babies.”