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 [June 05, 2023]
(Reuters) -AC Milan's Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic said
on Sunday he had decided to end his playing career at the age of 41
after a trophy-laden career at some of Europe's top clubs.
The extrovert Swede's Milan contract expires at the end of June and
will not be renewed following a season plagued by injuries,
prompting him to end a remarkable career.
Ibrahimovic arrived in Milan for his second spell with the club in
early 2020, having won the Scudetto with them in 2011, and helped
the club win the title again last season.
"I say goodbye to football but not to you." he said after being
feted by the San Siro crowd after Milan's 3-1 win over Hellas Verona
in their season finale.
"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."
The larger-than-life striker started his career at Malmo FF in 1999
and left for Ajax Amsterdam in 2001 before embarking on a journey
that has included spells at Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, Paris
St Germain, Manchester United and Milan.
Ibrahimovic has won countless domestic leagues and cups plus a long
list of individual honours but never got his hands on Europe's elite
club competition trophy the Champions League.
Sweden's all-time top scorer with 62 goals in 121 matches, he quit
the national team after Euro 2016 but returned in 2021 for their
unsuccessful World Cup qualifying campaign.
FREE MAN
"I thank the journalists for your patience, now you’ll have less
work to do without me ... From tomorrow, I am a free man from this
world of football," Ibrahimovic told reporters in a press conference
after the announcement he was retiring.
"It was a long career, really long, thank you to everyone who gave
me the strength, the adrenaline and the emotion to continue."
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Soccer Football - Serie A - AC Milan v
Salernitana - San Siro, Milan, Italy - March 13, 2023 AC Milan's
Zlatan Ibrahimovic during the warm up REUTERS/Daniele Mascolo
Ibrahimovic deflected questions regarding his plans
for retirement, opting not to divulge any details.
"For the moment, I just want to take some time and enjoy what I’ve
done. It’s not right to make decisions in a hurry, there’s too much
emotion right now. I want to take the summer off, reflect and then
we’ll see."
When asked about who could replace Ibrahimovic, his answer was
clear.
"Impossible, there is only one Zlatan! As a child, they compared me
to (former Netherlands striker) Marco van Basten, but he is who he
is and I am who I am.
"There might be similarities, but I don’t think comparisons are
right. I doubt we’d find another Zlatan with my ego..."
He concluded the press conference by admitting that the evening had
been an emotional experience.
"I could not have dreamed of a night like this. From the first day,
I felt at home with Milan, the old and the new version. When I leave
here, I will miss it a great deal. Today, they dragged the real
Ibrahimovic out.”
(Reporting by Tommy Lund in Gdansk; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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