Author: Soorya G
Soccer star Zlatan Ibrahimovic has said goodbye to the sport after an illustrious career spanning more than 25 years. The 42-year-old decided not to extend his contract with Italian giants AC Milan and, following the decision, opted to end his career. The Swede made the announcement at the iconic San Siro, in front of a packed crowd, after Milan’s last Serie A match against Hellas Verona. AC Milan scored two goals in the last seven minutes through Portuguese sensation Rafael Leão, confirming Verona’s relegation from the Italian top flight. After the final whistle, Zlatan Ibrahimovic came out to a thunderous applause from the fans, who gave him a standing ovation. Although the veteran has not made the announcement officially, several reliable sources have reported his decision.
Ibrahimovic gave a speech to the 80,000-strong crowd announcing his decision to hang up his boots after a career of wonderful highs and lows. Zlatan, overcome with emotion, couldn’t control his tears, as did several of his teammates.
“I used to get scared when journalists asked me about my future, but now I can accept it, I’m ready. I’ve been doing that all my life. Soccer turned me into a man. It allowed me to meet people I would never have met otherwise. I’ve traveled the world thanks to soccer. It’s all thanks to soccer“. Ibrahimovic said.
The legendary striker’s career spanned four decades, first signing for Malmo FF in the late 1990s before moving to Dutch giants Ajax in 2001. He won the league in each of his seasons in Holland before moving to Juventus in 2004, where he won two Serie A titles.
Ibrahimovic then moved to Inter Milan, where he won three more Scudettos, and then to Catalan giants Barcelona. His time in Catalonia wasn’t as good as he would have liked, as a disagreement with Pep Guardiola took him to AC Milan, a controversial move considering his previous association with Inter. Zlatan played for Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United and LA Galaxy before returning to Milan for the final stage of his career.
During his long and glittering career, Ibrahimovic established himself as a sporting legend, scoring 551 goals in total, including 62 for Sweden. He has 34 trophies in his cabinet, one of the highest in the sport, but above all his legacy will remain as an unquestionably brilliant player with a flair for the spectacular.