The legendary Swedish forward Zlatan Ibrahimović has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 41.
He made the announcement after his final match with AC Milan on Sunday June 5. Ibrahimović returned to AC Milan for a second time in 2019, but ailments plagued him during the 2022-23 season.
Ibrahimović endured an injury-plagued final season of his illustrious, trophy-laden career, in which he was limited to just four appearances in all competitions for the Rossoneri, who declined to extend his contract.
Milan fans and teammates held a farewell ceremony for one of their most popular players at the San Siro on Sunday, following their 3-1 victory over Hellas Verona in their final Serie A match of the season.
Supporters unfurled an impressive large tifo display that simply read “Godbye,” while Ibrahimovic fought back emotions as he received a standing ovation and was presented with a special signed shirt.
“The time has arrived to say goodbye,” he told fans at the San Siro.
He remained at Old Trafford for two years, winning the Europa League, League Cup, and Community Shield under Jose Mourinho, before agreeing to an early mutual termination of his contract in March 2018.
He had scored 29 goals in 53 games, but was reduced to a bit-part role after a serious knee injury ended his first year at United.
Ibrahimović scored a total of 493 goals in 819 club appearances over the course of a 24-year career, in addition to 62 goals in 122 international appearances for Sweden.
He departed international football in 2016, but returned in a failed attempt to lead Sweden to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. In March, his final match was a 3-0 Euro 2024 qualifying loss to Belgium in Stockholm, in which he appeared as a substitute.
In 2013, Ibrahimović received the FIFA Puskás Award, as well as a number of other individual accolades. He was nominated eleven times for the prestigious Ballon d’Or award, placing fourth in the 2013 voting.
