June 04, (THEWILL) – Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the revered Sweden striker for AC Milan, has announced his retirement from professional football.
The 41-year-old, whose contract with Milan ends in June, has chosen to conclude his illustrious career, following a season marked by persistent injuries. Ibrahimovic, who returned to Milan in 2020 after his earlier Scudetto triumph with the club in 2011, played a pivotal role in their recent title-winning campaign.
After Milan’s final match of the season, a 3-1 victory over Hellas Verona, Ibrahimovic bid farewell to the sport, addressing the adoring San Siro crowd: “I say goodbye to football, but not to you.”
With his departure, football loses a true legend who began his professional journey at Malmo FF in 1999, then moving on to Ajax Amsterdam in 2001 before showcasing his talents at prominent European clubs including Manchester United, Inter Milan, and AC Milan.
While representing Sweden, Ibrahimovic holds the record for the country’s all-time leading scorer, having netted an impressive 62 goals in 121 appearances. He initially retired from international duty after Euro 2016, but made a triumphant return in 2021, albeit unsuccessful, for their World Cup qualifying campaign.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
