This time Ibra was unable to maintain character and collapsed. A sea of ​​tears flooded his eyes when he took the microphone to say goodbye to his family at San Siro, some heartfelt last words before his fans and his Milan teammates, who dressed up for the occasion in a shirt that bore his name and made a corridor for him in San Siro to send him off with honors. The Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic revealed this Sunday that he is retiring from football.
At the end of the match against Halles Verona, the player from Rossoneri spoke: “The time has come to say goodbye to football, not to you. You have welcomed me with open arms, I will be a Milan fan for the rest of my life”, he said from midfield, when he said goodbye to fans and teammates.
“The first time I was at Milan you gave me joy, the second time you gave me love. I thank my family for their patience, then the second family or the players and the coach with his coaching staff. Thanks also to the managers for the opportunity they have given me. I also thank the fans from the bottom of my heart who have welcomed me with open arms. I will be a Milan fan for life,” he added.
The Swede retires from football after 988 games and 573 goals spread across all the clubs he has been to and his national team.
He made his debut for Swedish Malmo in 1999, from where he made the jump to Dutch Ajax in 2001. After four seasons he went to Italy, where he played for Juventus (2004-2006) and Inter (2006-2009) before going to Barcelona (2009-2010) He returned to Italy to start his first spell at Milan (2010-2012), although he went to PSG (2012-2016), Manchester United (2016-18) and Los Angeles Galaxy (2018-2019) ) before closing the cycle in the rossonero team with four seasons in a row.
Ibra, who will turn 42 in October, leaves football as a true legend and after a season at Milan away from the spotlight, but in which his role as a transcendental figure in the dressing room was impeccable. Always respected, both by players and by the coaching staff, he led the historic season last, 2021-22, to the Scudetto champion to the top after 13 years without winning the title.
Throughout his 27 seasons as a soccer professional, he won a Spanish league with Barça, four league championships in France with PSG, five Scudetto titles in his stages at Inter and Milan and two Eredivisie titles in his early days with Barça. the Ajax of Amsterdam. He only needed to win the Champions League.
