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Swedish footballer Zlatan Ibrahimović has retired from the sport at 41 years old.
Retired at A.C. Milan
The A.C. Milan striker appeared emotional as he announced his retirement at the San Siro Stadium on Jun. 5 (SGT), before Milan's match against Verona.
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
He said, as translated by BBC:
"I say goodbye to football but not to you.
[...]
There are too many emotions for me right now. Forza Milan and goodbye."
Ibrahimović had struggled with injuries the past year. He only made four appearances for Milan this season following a knee surgery in mid-2022.
His football career
Regarded as one of the best strikers of his generation, Ibrahimović is known for his acrobatic skills and powerful long-range shots.
Zlatan Ibrahimović worldies.
A Thread: pic.twitter.com/Hp5ZRJEOvE
— Barstool Football (@StoolFootball) June 4, 2023
He started his career in Sweden in 1999 with Malmö FF, before moving to Dutch club Ajax in 2001.
Ibrahimović subsequently had successful stints at various top clubs around the world, such as FC Barcelona, Inter Milan, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), Manchester United, and LA Galaxy.
He has won 34 trophies in total, including 14 league titles in four different countries.
He has also been nominated for the Ballon d'Or 11 times, an annual award for top-performing players, earning the fourth spot in 2013.
For Sweden, Ibrahimović scored 62 goals in 121 matches, making him the country's all-time top scorer.
He famously scored a bicycle kick from 30 yards out for Sweden in a friendly match against England.
The goal won him the 2013 FIFA Puskás Award (goal of the year).
Top images via Zlatan Ibrahimović's Instagram.