Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the 41-year-old striker from AC Milan, announced on Sunday his decision to retire from professional football. After a season plagued by injuries, Ibrahimovic’s contract with Milan will not be renewed, leading him to bring an end to his remarkable and successful career.
Ibrahimovic made a return to Milan for his second spell with the club in early 2020, having previously won the Scudetto with them in 2011. He played a significant role in helping Milan secure the title again last season.
Addressing the San Siro crowd following Milan’s 3-1 victory over Hellas Verona in their final match of the season, Ibrahimovic bid farewell to football while expressing his gratitude to the fans: “I say goodbye to football but not to you.”
Beginning his professional journey at Malmo in 1999, Ibrahimovic later moved to Ajax in 2001 before embarking on an illustrious career that included stints at top European clubs such as Manchester United, Inter Milan, and Milan.
With 62 goals in 121 matches, Ibrahimovic holds the record as Sweden’s all-time leading scorer. He initially retired from the national team after Euro 2016 but made a return in 2021 for their World Cup qualifying campaign, which unfortunately ended in disappointment.
