Swedish great Ibrahimovic ends football career at the age of 41

AC Milan’s striker announced his retirement, bringing an end to one of the modern era’s most glittering careers

ROME: Emotions ran high at the San Siro on Sunday when Zlatan Ibrahimovic, also known as Ibra, announced his retirement from football at the age of 41 after AC Milan’s final match of the 2022-2023 season bringing an end to one of the modern era’s most glittering careers.

Before the kick-off of Sunday’s game, the fans in the stands energetically chanted his name and displayed a banner reading “Goodbye,” a sight that brought Ibra to tears.

The Swedish veteran player, whose previous teams include Malmo, Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United and LA Galaxy, began his second spell at Milanello in January 2020, making substantial impacts both on and off the pitch.

However, injuries beset the striker and limited him to just four appearances this season, during which he mostly made cameo appearances and scored only one goal.

Ibra announced his decision during the post-game ceremony, saying: “It’s time to say goodbye to football, but not to you. There are too many emotions for me, Forza Milan and goodbye.”

“The first time I came here you gave me happiness, the second time you gave me love.

“You welcomed me with open arms, you made me feel at home, I will be a Milanista for the rest of my life.”

Known as a consistent trophy collector, Ibra amassed 34 trophies over his 24-year professional career. He made over 900 appearances at both the national and club levels and scored 511 goals and won 14 league titles in four countries. He was nominated for the Ballon d’Or 11 times in a career that began in the last century.

Ibrahimovic began his second spell with AC Milan in early 2020, having won the Scudetto with them in 2011, and helped them win the title again last season.

But he played only four times and started one match for the Serie A side this term - and scored one goal - following a series of injuries, and his contract was set to expire this month.

The one major club trophy that eluded him was the Champions League, with his only European title coming with Manchester United in the shape of the 2017 Europa League.

The striker also retires as Sweden’s all-time top scorer with 62 international goals in 122 matches.

He quit the national side after Euro 2016 but returned in 2021 for their unsuccessful World Cup qualifying campaign.

“I used to be scared when journalists asked about my future, but now I can accept it, I’m ready,” he told reporters after his announcement.

“I’ve been doing this all my life. Football made me a man. It allowed me to know people I otherwise would never have known. I’ve travelled the world thanks to football. It’s all thanks to football.”

The Swedish great was given a guard of honour by his AC Milan team-mates as he left the pitch

Ibrahimovic started his professional career with hometown side Malmo FF in 1999 before moving to Ajax in 2001 for a three-year spell in which he won three league titles.

A move to Italy followed in 2004 with Juventus, where he won two league titles, both of which were later stripped from the club as a result of the Calciopoli scandal.

However, the Swede won three more Serie A titles with his next club, Inter Milan, before a move to Barcelona in 2009.

Ibrahimovic spent only one season at the Catalan club, winning a La Liga title before being loaned to AC Milan, a move which was made permanent in 2011. A year later, however, and Ibrahimovic was on the move again, signing for Paris St-Germain, where he scored 113 goals in 122 league appearances and won four Ligue 1 trophies.

In July 2016, he signed for Manchester United for a two-year spell with the Premier League club that saw him win the League Cup and the Europa League.

Ibrahimovic signed for MLS side LA Galaxy in 2018, spending two seasons in California before making his return to AC Milan.