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Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the Sweden striker, has announced his decision to retire from playing professional football at the age of 41. After enjoying a successful career at several top European clubs, Ibrahimovic will be concluding his time on the field.
Currently playing for AC Milan, Ibrahimovic’s contract with the club will expire at the end of June and will not be renewed due to a season plagued by injuries. Despite this, he had a notable impact on Milan, having previously won the Scudetto with them in 2011 and helping the club secure the title again last season.
After Milan’s final match of the season, a 3-1 victory over Hellas Verona, Ibrahimovic bid farewell to the sport in front of the San Siro crowd. He expressed gratitude to the fans, stating, “I say goodbye to football but not to you. The first time I arrived you gave me happiness, the second time you gave me love. I want to thank my family and those close to me for their patience.”
Ibrahimovic began his career at Malmo FF in 1999 and subsequently played for clubs such as Ajax Amsterdam, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, Paris St Germain, Manchester United, and Milan.
Throughout his illustrious career, he won numerous domestic league titles and cups, along with several individual accolades. However, he was unable to claim the ultimate prize of winning the UEFA Champions League during his career.
As Sweden’s all-time leading scorer with 62 goals in 121 matches, Ibrahimovic retired from the national team after Euro 2016 but made a comeback in 2021 for their World Cup qualifying campaign, which unfortunately ended in disappointment.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic leaves a lasting legacy in the world of football, with his skill, charisma, and larger-than-life personality having left an indelible mark on the sporting his plans for retirement, opting not to divulge any details.
“For the moment, I just want to take some time and enjoy what I’ve done. It’s not right to make decisions in a hurry, there’s too much emotion right now. I want to take the summer off, reflect and then we’ll see.”
When asked about who could replace Ibrahimovic, his answer was clear.
“Impossible, there is only one Zlatan! As a child, they compared me to (former Netherlands striker) Marco van Basten, but he is who he is and I am who I am.
“There might be similarities, but I don’t think comparisons are right. I doubt we’d find another Zlatan with my ego…”
He concluded the press conference by admitting that the evening had been an emotional experience.
“I could not have dreamed of a night like this. From the first day, I felt at home with Milan, the old and the new version. When I leave here, I will miss it a great deal. Today, they dragged the real Ibrahimovic out.”
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