“The time has come to say goodbye to football”

The 41-year-old Swedish striker announces his retirement at the San Siro

MADRID, 5 Jun. (EUROPA PRESS) –

Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic announced his retirement from football on Sunday after Milan’s last game this season, in a San Siro tribute to the 41-year-old striker.

“The time has come to say goodbye to football,” he told Milan fans on the last day of Serie A, which ended with a 3-1 victory over Verona.

‘Ibra’ had already said goodbye to Milan, after a second stage that began in 2020, but the farewell was final. League champion in four countries, the Swedish striker left 511 goals in clubs, including PSG, Manchester United, Milan, Inter and a FC Barcelona in which he did not fit with Pep Guardiola.

The one from Malmö was key in achieving Serie A last year, but this season he spent mostly injured. Ibrahimovic, who returned to his team without getting a ticket to the World Cup in Qatar, is Sweden’s all-time top scorer with 62 goals in 121 games.

The charismatic and powerful striker began his career at Malmö in 1999 and in 2001 moved to Ajax, where he won all three league titles. In 2004 he signed for Juventus, with equal success, also passing through Inter before going to Barça. Milan, PSG, United, LA Galaxy and again Milan was his way to goodbye.