Zlatan Ibrahimovic Retires From Illustrious Football Career

Sweden great, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, surprised the sporting world on Sunday night by announcing his retirement from football with immediate effect after AC Milan’s final match of the season.

Fans at the San Siro bade farewell to the Swedish striker ahead of his final game for the club and, despite telling the world he was not going to retire amid interest from Monza, the 41-year-old revealed at full-time that he was quitting not just AC Milan but football altogether.

Ibrahimovic hangs up his boots after an incredible 988 professional appearances for club and country in a 24-year career which started in 1999.

There was barely a dry eye in the San Siro as an emotional Ibrahimovic addressed the AC Milan faithful and his team-mates at full-time.

Referring to his two spells at the club, he said: ‘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’s professional career started with Swedish club Malmo in 1999, before spells with Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, AC Milan, PSG, Manchester United, and LA Galaxy. He returned to Milan from the United States in 2020.

He helped AC Milan lift the Serie A title in 2011 and again last year.

The Sweden international became Serie A’s oldest ever goalscorer when he netted against Udinese in March, but it marked ultimately his last professional goal.

Ibrahimovic is Sweden’s all-time top scorer with 62 goals in 122 matches, despite quitting the national side in 2016, only to return five years later.

The star’s recent injury setbacks meant he did not feature in AC Milan’s final game of the season, a 3-1 win over Hellas Verona, although he was watching on with his wife Helena Seger.