Legendary footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovic does not have any plans to retire from the game anytime soon. The 40-year-old striker wants to play as long as he can, or until a better player than him comes around, according to ESPN.
“I want to play as long as I can,” Ibrahimovic said to UEFA. “The reality is I’ll play until I see that someone is better than me, so I’m still playing. The future is yet to be written.”
At first glance, these words are quite bold for a player of the Swede’s age. Keeping his past comments and attitude in mind, however, these statements aren’t very surprising.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic Eager to Continue Prolific Career
His Current Status
After a stint at LA Galaxy in the MLS, many thought Ibrahimovic was approaching the end of his career. At the start of 2020, however, he re-joined AC Milan in a surprising move. The Rossoneri were in the midst of years of struggles and hadn’t been a strong team since Ibrahimovic originally left them for Paris Saint-Germain.
The Swede changed the entire team. He helped Milan make it back into the Champions League and now they’re first in Serie A. Milan has a realistic chance of winning their first Scudetto since 2011, when Ibrahimovic was an integral piece of the squad.
Ibrahimovic’s play on the pitch hasn’t been overly impactful for Milan. He has eight Serie A goals but has struggled mightily with injury. With that being said, he’s a clear leader on the team and his impact on Milan being first in the league cannot be understated.
His contract with Milan expires this summer. Veteran Oliver Giroud is the only other natural striker on the squad. With that being said, Milan looks to be pushing for Liverpool’s Divock Origi.
It wouldn’t be a surprise, however, to see Milan extend Ibrahimovic for another year if he’s committed to it. His impact on the club stretches far beyond his individual product on the pitch.
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