Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the renowned Swedish striker, has officially announced his retirement from professional football with AC Milan.
Touchaheart news reports that in his final match for the club, fans at the San Siro bid farewell to the 41-year-old football legend. While initially indicating that he would not retire, Ibrahimovic has ultimately made the decision to leave the beautiful game.
Speculation had previously suggested a potential move to Monza, another Serie A team.
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However, Ibrahimovic has opted to retire from the sport entirely after parting ways with AC Milan.
During his time in Serie A, the Swedish international achieved the distinction of becoming the league’s oldest goalscorer when he found the back of the net against Udinese in March.
Twitter footage captured an emotionally charged Ibrahimovic as he embraced the atmosphere and revealed his retirement announcement.
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Throughout his illustrious career, Ibrahimovic played for both Milan clubs.
However Touchaheart reports that in recent years, injuries have plagued him, ultimately resulting in his absence from AC Milan’s final game of the season, which ended in a 3-1 victory over Hellas Verona.
The match saw Olivier Giroud score a penalty just before halftime, while two late goals from Rafael Leao secured the three points after Davide Faraoni equalized for Verona.
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As a fitting send-off, fans displayed “Goodbye” signs and waved flags bearing Ibrahimovic’s face across the stands in Milan on Sunday.
The striker demonstrated deep emotion as he made a heart gesture to the fans before the game, prompting the club to tweet, “I’m not crying, you’re crying,” in response to the moving scene.
Despite having a limited role this year, Zlatan Ibrahimovic does not plan on retiring just yet.
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I’m not one to give up,” he expressed to La Gazzetta dello Sport. “But there must also be joy in what you do. I can’t help but find peace as the number one player in football.
However, we’re not there yet. I believe I still have something to offer. Do I consider quitting? I don’t think so. Do I have to continue playing? I think so. But I need to find balance, as in life. Without serenity and stability, you become a ticking bomb, and bombs explode.
While discussions with Monza have taken place regarding the striker’s potential signing, his ongoing struggle with a knee injury from the previous season remains a concern.
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When asked about his fitness, Ibrahimovic reassured, “I’m fine, I’ve put in a lot of work and effort, not only this year but also the last year.
However, when I suffered an injury, the team needed me. When you have dedicated your entire life to something and you know what you need to do but can’t do it, you keep going.”
I won’t find peace for myself. I haven’t found the balance yet. When everything comes, it comes all at once. This thought lingers in my mind. My mental strength is formidable, and every time I return, I feel like Superman. But I need to find balance.
