Zlatan Ibrahimovic of AC Milan has announced his retirement from football at the age of 41, after one of the most illustrious careers of the modern era.
After Sunday’s final match of the season, the Swede told the San Siro crowd, “I say goodbye to football but not to you.”
Ibrahimovic has previously made his intention to leave the Italian team known.
He won league championships in four nations while scoring 511 goals for clubs including Paris St. Germain, Manchester United, AC Milan, and both AC and Inter Milan.
Ibrahimovic joined AC Milan for a second time in early 2020 after helping them win the Scudetto in 2011 and again the previous year.
However, due to a string of ailments, he only made it onto the field for the Serie A team four times this season, started one game, and scored one goal. His contract was supposed to expire this month.
“I’m experiencing way too many emotions right now. With tears in his eyes, Ibrahimovic cried, “Forza Milan and goodbye.”
“You brought me joy the first time I came here, and you brought me love the second time.
“You welcomed me with open arms, you made me feel at home, and I will be a Milanista for the rest of my life.”
Retirement of Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Ibrahimovic, a club legend, received a farewell tifo from the San Siro.
In a career that started in the previous century, Ibrahimovic won 34 trophies, including 14 league titles, and was nominated for the Ballon d’Or 11 times.
The Champions League was the only significant club trophy he has yet to win, and the 2017 Europa League was his only triumph on the continent while playing for Manchester United.
In addition, the striker departs as Sweden’s all-time leading scorer with 62 goals in 122 games for his country.
After Euro 2016, he left the national team, but he later joined them again in 2021 for their disastrous World Cup qualification campaign.
After making his decision, he told reporters, “I used to be scared when journalists asked me about my future, but now I can accept it, I’m ready.”
“This is what I’ve always done. I’m a guy because of football. I was able to meet folks I never would have otherwise known. I’ve visited several countries thanks to football. Football is entirely to blame.
Retirement of Zlatan Ibrahimovic
As the Swedish legend exited the field, his AC Milan teammates presented him with a guard of honor.
A career dripping in gold
Ibrahimovic began his professional career in 1999 with his local club Malmo FF before transferring to Ajax in 2001, where he spent the next three years and won three league championships.
He then relocated to Italy in 2004 and joined Juventus, where he won two league championships that were subsequently removed from the team as a result of the Calciopoli investigation.
But before transferring to Barcelona in 2009, the Swede won three more Serie A championships with his subsequent team, Inter Milan.
Ibrahimovic played for the Catalan club for just one season, winning the La Liga championship before going on loan to AC Milan, a transfer that became permanent in 2011.
Ibrahimovic moved on again a year later, joining with Paris St-Germain, where he scored 113 goals in 122 league games and claimed four Ligue 1 championships.
He joined Manchester United in July 2016 for a two-year contract, during which time he won both the League Cup and the Europa League.
Ibrahimovic signed with MLS team LA Galaxy in 2018, playing there for two seasons before returning to AC Milan.
