Tag: Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has returned to AC Milan as an advisor to the Serie A club’s management, owners RedBird Capital Partners confirmed on Monday.

In a statement, American investment firm RedBird said that the former Sweden striker, who won a host of trophies as a player in Italy, will “serve as a senior advisor to AC Milan ownership and senior management”.

The 42-year-old has also been hired as “Operating Partner” for RedBird’s “sports and media and entertainment investment portfolio”.

RedBird said that Ibrahimovic’s mandate at Milan “will include player development and high-performance training, advancing AC Milan’s global brand and commercial interests, and supporting special projects of strategic importance, including the club’s new stadium.”

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Within RedBird, Ibrahimovic “will help source and evaluate new investment opportunities for the firm, and will advise RedBird portfolio companies on commercial projects, digital content strategies and strategic brand building initiatives”.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic brought the curtain down on his eventful playing career at the end of last season, in which he was dogged by injury and netted just once for Milan.

That goal came in a 3-1 win at Udinese in March and made him the oldest goal scorer in Serie A history.

Ibrahimovic was a key figure in Milan’s resurgence to the top of Italian football after his return as a veteran forward in 2019, helping to bring them back from the doldrums and eventually win the Serie A title in 2022.

He was also key to the club’s previous Scudetto 11 years before, which was followed by a long period of stagnation and financial problems before revitalisation under current coach Stefano Pioli.

Over the course of his illustrious career, Ibrahimovic won league titles in the Netherlands, Italy, Spain and France, although his only major European trophy was the 2017 Europa League with Manchester United.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic rejoins Milan with the team nine points behind Serie A leaders Inter Milan and facing a group-stage exit from the Champions League.

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MILAN: Zlatan Ibrahimovic brought the curtain down on a long, trophy-packed career on Sunday when he unexpectedly announced his retirement from football.

Veteran striker Ibrahimovic revealed his decision to quit the game during an on-pitch ceremony following AC Milan’s 3-1 win over Verona which ended their Serie A campaign.

“It’s the moment to say goodbye to football, not just to you,” said Ibrahimovic on the San Siro pitch.

“There are too many emotions for me right now. Forza Milan and goodbye.”

The 41-year-old had been expected to simply bid farewell to Milan fans after his departure from the seven-time European champions was announced on Saturday.

He returned to Milan in late 2019 for a second spell after a previous two-year period in which he won the Serie A title in 2011.

“The first time I came here you gave me happiness, the second time you gave me love,” said Ibrahimovic.

“You welcomed me with open arms, you made me feel at home, I will be a Milanista for the rest of my life.”

Ibrahimovic was a key figure in Milan’s resurgence to the top of Italian football after his return to the club, helping to bring them back from the doldrums and eventually win the Scudetto last season.

“I used to be scared when journalists asked by about my future, but now I can accept it, I’m ready,” Ibrahimovic told reporters after his announcement.

“I’ve been doing this all my life, football made me a man. It allowed me to know people I otherwise would never have known, I’ve travelled the world thanks to football. It’s all thanks to football.”

Over the course of his career Ibrahimovic won league titles in the Netherlands, Italy, Spain and France, although his only major European trophy was the 2017 Europa League with Manchester United.

Making his announcement at the San Siro was appropriate as he also won three straight league titles with Inter Milan between 2006 and 2009 before a turbulent spell at Barcelona.

His retirement comes after a season in which he has hardly featured for Stefano Pioli’s side after being plagued with injuries, returning in February following surgery on his left knee in May.

In July he signed a deal which netted him around one million euros ($1.02 million) in fixed salary, with large bonuses linked to appearances and achievements.

But after agreeing that deal the 41-year-old only started one match and netted once for Milan, a 3-1 win at Udinese in March in which he became the oldest goal scorer in Serie A history.

He then picked up a calf injury in a pre-match warm up in April and ended his career sidelined, scotching rumours that he was set to move to Monza and targeting Euro 2024 with Sweden.

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STOCKHOLM: AC Milan’s veteran striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic was named on Thursday in Sweden’s squad for this month’s Euro 2024 qualifiers, when he could break Italian goalkeeper Dino Zoff’s age record.

Ibrahimovic, 41, last featured for his country 12 months ago and will beat Zoff’s Euro qualifier milestone of 40 years and 90 days set in 1983 if he features in games against Belgium on March 24 or Azerbaijan on March 27.

He has played just three game for Milan this season after recovering from a knee issue.

“Zlatan has made three slightly longer substitutions now in Milan and feels fit and in decent shape even though he has been away for a while,” coach Janne Andersson said in a statement.

“From that perspective, I think he can contribute. Especially on the pitch, but also off the pitch,” Andersson added.

Should Sweden make it all the way to next year’s competition in Germany, Ibrahimovic could also beat the record set by Hungary’s Gabor Kiraly, who played in the 2016 edition aged 40.

After Sweden failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup Zlatan said last year that he will “continue as long as I can,” and he has said he is “panicking” at the prospect of retiring.

The three countries are all in the qualifying group F, together with Estonia and Austria, with the top two reaching the finals.

DUBAI: Zlatan Ibrahimovic believes the stars are aligned for Lionel Messi to finally capture that elusive World Cup trophy, the AC Milan forward told reporters in Dubai on Monday.

Contesting a record-equalling fifth World Cup, Messi will be looking to reach the second final of his career in the competition when Argentina take on Croatia in the last-four stage on Tuesday.

The 35-year-old Messi is very likely making his final World Cup appearance and with the likes of Brazil, Portugal, Germany and Spain all knocked out in Qatar, the Argentines look primed to clinch football’s most prestigious title for the first time since 1986.

Ibrahimovic, who continues to rehabilitate his knee while joining his AC Milan team-mates for a winter training camp in Dubai, heaped praise on the other three semi-finalists in Doha but assured he only sees one team walking away with the trophy.

“I think it’s already written who will win, and you know who I mean. I think Messi will lift the trophy, it’s already written,” said Ibrahimovic, who represented Sweden in two World Cups in 2002 and 2006.

Argentina and surprise semi-finalists Morocco will try to stop France and Croatia from setting up a rematch of the title decider from Russia 2018, with the Atlas Lions taking on the reigning champions on Wednesday.

Ibrahimovic described France and Croatia as “strong nations” but believes a Messi triumph is inevitable.

Asked about Morocco, who became the first ever African or Arab team to make the final four at a World Cup, Ibrahimovic said: “I don’t think it’s a surprise because I knew they were good before the World Cup. Then obviously in the World Cup everything can happen.

“That they reached the semi-final, maybe a little surprised, but remember it’s a good team, a good nation. And these surprises I think the people like; they enjoy because they want these things to happen so they get some kind of extra adrenaline.”

Emotional Ronaldo

The Moroccans punched their ticket to a historic semi-final by stunning Spain and Portugal back-to-back.

Scenes of a tearful Cristiano Ronaldo making his way to the dressing room following Portugal’s elimination have been replayed on TV screens across the globe, marking a difficult ending to the 37-year-old’s quest for World Cup glory.

Pressed to send a message to Ronaldo, Ibrahimovic said: “I think it’s not important what I can say. I mean everybody wants to win the World Cup; not everybody gets to win the World Cup.

“Everybody is trying and if you don’t win it obviously you’ll get emotional, if you win it, you get also emotional in a different way.”

Ibrahimovic added that the real story behind Ronaldo’s unceremonious exit from Manchester United will never be revealed, making it tough for him to weigh in on the matter.

“His exiting United, I think when things happen, we will never know the true story. They say what they want to say, he says what he needs to say to protect himself, then you have the coach that says these things to protect himself,” said Ibrahimovic, who spent two seasons at Manchester United from 2016 to 2018.

“Then the club says things – not like me, I will tell you how it really happened. But we are all different. Everybody is careful about their image.

“For me the perfect image is being yourself. The true story we will not know my friend.”

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MILAN: Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic signed a one-year contract extension with Serie A club AC Milan that commits him to stay at the franchise till June 2023.

Ibrahimovic, who led his team AC Milan to the Serie A title victory after 11 years will be staying with the club till after his 41st birthday.

“AC Milan is pleased to announce the renewal of Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s contract until June 30, 2023. The Swedish forward will continue to wear the number 11 shirt,” the team said in a statement.

The Swede, however, is out of action till at least the early next year following the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee reconstructed in May.

The former Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Manchester United forward revealed in May that he endured six months of sleepless nights due to the pain in his knee but remained committed to AC Milan delivering their first Serie A crown in 11 years.

 

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It is pertinent to mention here that Ibrahimovic was also a part of AC Milan when the club last won the Scudetto, joining on loan from Barcelona and scoring 14 league goals in 29 appearances to fire them to the 2011 title.

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