In February this year, the man and two other suspects were acquitted of involvement in the death of 23-year-old in October 2008.

Ahmed Ibrahim Ali, nicknamed “Romario” for his footballing promise, died from stab wounds following a violent feud between two rival youth groups near the E4 motorway in Kista, north of Stockholm.

The 19-year-old was found guilty on two further accounts of attempted murder following the fight which also left two youths seriously injured. The two suspects were found not guilty and freed by the Svea Court of Appeal.

During the district court hearing the 19-year-old admitted to stabbing Romario without intent to kill but but retracted his statement for the Appeal Court trial.

The Svea Court of Appeal took the attacker’s age into consideration when passing the verdict, halving the recommended 14-year sentence for the crime.

Defence lawyer Johan Åkermark said that his client had been wrongly convicted and his admission of guilt was purely to guard friends from involvement, according to the Dagens Nyheter newspaper.

”He was scared and wanted to protect someone else,” Åkermark said.

”The Appeal Court believes it has found the perpetrator of this crime but I still believe they are wrong.”

Åkermark added that he intends to file for leave to appeal on behalf of his client.