Zlatan Ibrahimovic will stop playing football with immediate effect, the 41-year-old AC Milan striker announced on the center spot of San Siro. On Saturday it was already announced that Milan will not renew the attacker’s expiring contract. Ibrahimovic was given an official farewell to Milan on Sunday, which ended the season in Serie A against Hellas Verona (3-1 win). Ibrahimovic was unable to take action due to an injury.
Ibrahimovic played for Milan in two periods. He hasn’t played much in recent years due to injuries. “When I came here the first time, you gave me joy. The second time you gave me love,” Ibrahimovic told fans on Sunday. “I want to thank my family and everyone close to me. I also want to thank my second family: the players, the coach and his staff. I want to thank the directors for the opportunity they gave me.”
Zlatan Ibrahimovic: “The time has arrived to say goodbye”. We will miss you, forever and ???????????????? Good luck in retirement ?? pic.twitter.com/vF0w3kCKU9
— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) June 4, 2023
“Finally I want to thank you, the fans. You have welcomed me with open arms and I will be one for the rest of my life Milanista to stay. It’s time to say goodbye to football, but not to you. This is very difficult, I’m too emotional. I’ll see you again, if you’re lucky. Forza Milan and goodbye.”
Ibrahimovic showed himself combative on Friday and did not intend to leave Milan despite an expiring contract and the necessary injuries. “I’m not a quitter and I prefer to play football. I have no rest if I can’t do that anymore. I’m not thinking about stopping yet,” it sounded in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport. “I want to move on, although I have to find a balance. It’s just like in real life. When there is no serenity and stability left, you are a bomb. And bombs can explode.”
For Ibrahimovic, his second period at Milan is coming to an end. The tall striker came out in the 2011/12 season in Rossoneri, to return there in 2020. The former attacker of Ajax, Juventus, Barcelona and Internazionale, among others, won the Italian national title with Milan in 2022. Ibrahimovic came to 163 duels for his current employer and in those performances he managed to find the net 93 times.
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