Zlatan Ibrahimovic is done with football. The Swede striker confirmed his decision to retire on Sunday after it was reported that he's not going back to AC Milan after the season ends.
Apparently, Zlatan isn't moving somewhere else. Instead, he's bidding farewell to the game that he has played professionally for 24 years,
After AC Milan ended their Serie A season with a 3-1 win over Hellas Verona on Sunday, Zlatan–who did not feature in the game due to injury–addressed the crowd at San Siro and got emotional as he shared his decision to “say goodbye to football.”
“So many memories and emotions inside this stadium,” Zlatan said as he tried to hold back his tears, via Football Italia. “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. I want to thank my second family. The players, the coach and his staff for the responsibility they gave me. I want to thank the directors for the opportunity they gave me.
“Last but not least, from my heart, I want to thank you, fans. You welcomed me with open arms and I will be a Milanista my entire life. It's time to say goodbye to football, but not to you. It’s too difficult, there are too many emotions. I'll see you around if you are lucky. Forza Milan and goodbye.”
When it was reported on Saturday that Zlatan Ibrahimovic would not return to AC Milan once his contract expires this June, the general belief is that Ibra would continue playing. However, after a season filled with injuries, it's understandable why the 41-year-old decided to call it a career.
Ibrahimovic will forever be remembered for his scoring brilliance, hitting over 500 goals throughout his career that spanned two decades. Of course the most memorable of those stints were in Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan, where he had two stints. He has also played for other European giants such as Manchester City, Juventus, Ajax and FC Barelona.
Zlatan Ibrahimović:
"The time has arrived to say goodbye".
We will miss you, forever and 𝐀𝐋𝐖𝐀𝐈𝐙❤️🖤
Good luck in retirement 👏 pic.twitter.com/vF0w3kCKU9
— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) June 4, 2023
It's unknown what Ibrahimovic plans to do in his post-football playing career. But in true Ibra fashion, perhaps we should say that football retired from Zlatan–not the other way around.
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