Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the Swedish footballer, has officially announced his retirement after 24 seasons of professional football, during which he achieved numerous major and minor titles.
Ibrahimovic shed tears on the day of his retirement announcement
Thus, the professional football journey of Zlatan Ibrahimovic has officially come to an end. After the match between AC Milan and Verona, the 41-year-old striker declared his retirement. Despite his passion for football, Ibrahimovic had to make this decision due to continuous injuries.
Ibrahimovic's retirement announcement: Tears shed on the farewell day, regrets about the Champions League trophy
Standing on the San Siro pitch, Ibra couldn't hold back his tears. He emotionally said, "I have to say goodbye to football, but not to you. This place holds many memories and emotions for me. The first time I set foot here, everyone made me feel incredibly happy."
"The second time, you all gave me love. I want to thank my family and loved ones who have always supported me throughout this long journey. I also want to thank my second family. Teammates, coaches, and staff members have given me so much. I also express my gratitude to the club's management for giving me the opportunity."
"Lastly, from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank all of you, the passionate fans. You have always opened your arms to welcome me. I will surely be a lifelong Milanista. This is the moment I have to say goodbye to football, but not to you. It's hard to say farewell. I hope we can meet again. Forza Milan and goodbye."
The Swedish forward, born in 1981, began his professional football career in 1999 at Malmo. After being rejected by Arsenal, Ibrahimovic joined Ajax in 2001 and made an impression with his outstanding physique and exquisite technique.
The first major step in Ibra's career was joining Juventus in 2004. He gained worldwide fame wearing the Inter Milan jersey two years later. Ibrahimovic became the most expensive player in the world when he moved to Barcelona in 2009 for a total transfer fee of 69 million euros.
However, the Swedish striker stayed at Camp Nou for only one season before transferring to AC Milan. After two seasons with the Rossoneri, Ibrahimovic moved to PSG and achieved tremendous success. In 2016, he joined Manchester United as a free agent and played for the Red Devils for two seasons.
A cruciate ligament injury made Ibrahimovic think he had to retire, but he was determined to come back and played for LA Galaxy, which served as an important stepping stone. It was there that the Swedish forward reached the milestone of 500 goals with a "kung-fu" style finish.
From 2020 until now, Ibrahimovic has played for AC Milan and helped the team secure a Serie A title. It can be said that Ibrahimovic had a highly illustrious career with 988 appearances, 573 goals, and 41 titles. Wherever he went, the Swedish striker collected a variety of major and minor honors. The biggest regret in Ibrahimovic's life is perhaps never winning the Champions League.
