The Swedish top striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic immediately ends his impressive football career. He announced this on Sunday evening after his club AC Milan’s match against Hellas Verona. “I say goodbye to football, but not to you,” said 41-year-old Ibrahimovic to the crowd at the San Siro stadium.
It was already leaked on Saturday that his expiring contract with AC Milan would not be extended, but it was still unclear whether the attacker would continue his career at another club. He barely played this season due to a knee injury.
Ibrahimovic made his debut in professional football in Malmö FF in 1999 in his hometown of Malmö. He was then 17 years old. After two seasons he switched to Ajax. He became national champion twice in Amsterdam and won the cup once. After three years of Ajax, a whole series of European top clubs followed: Juventus, Internazionale, FC Barcelona, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United. Except in England, he became champion with all those clubs, although the titles with Juve were later taken away.
Also read this review of the movie ‘I Am Zlatan’: Zlatan: once a bad boy, always a bad boy
After a trip to LA Galaxy, Ibrahimovic returned to AC Milan in 2020. “The first time I came here, you gave me happiness,” said an emotional Ibrahimovic at his farewell on Sunday evening. “The second time I came, you gave me love. You welcomed me with open arms. I will be a Milanista all my life. It’s time to say goodbye to football. Forza Milan and goodbye.”
With the Swedish national team, Ibrahimovic never managed to win trophies, but he is Sweden’s all-time top scorer with 62 goals in 116 games. In club context he scored a total of more than five hundred times.
Remarkable statements
Zlatan Ibrahimovic not only attracted attention with his goals, but also with his megalomania and often provocative statements. For example, before his last game at Paris Saint-Germain, he wrote on Twitter: „I came like a king and left like a legend”.
He also once said that he did not think it necessary to buy a present for his wife’s birthday, because she already had Zlatan. A reporter also once asked him whether Sweden would qualify for the World Cup and he replied that only God knew. . When the reporter said it was a bit difficult to ask God, Ibrahimovic said, “Why? You’re looking at him now.”
Fans of AC Milan therefore made Sunday across the width of an entire compartment with paper sheets the appropriate text ‘Godbye Zlatan’.