Zlatan Ibrahimovic Takes on a New Role in Milan.
Rumour has it that AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is preparing to end his career as a player at the end of the season. But that doesn't mean the striker will leave the game altogether, as there are also whispers that he has already been offered a new role off the pitch.
Ibrahimovic’s sensational return to the San Siro in 2020 from LA Galaxy sparked a turnaround that saw the club end its 11-year wait for the league title the following year.
However, the 41-year-old Swedish sensation has been on the benches for the first half of the current season after undergoing surgery last summer as a result of a serious knee injury. But his first appearance of the season in Sunday’s 2-0 win over Atalanta has already given a huge boost to AC Milan’s odds in the Serie A betting markets.
After signing a contract extension with Milan last summer, Ibrahimovic took to Instagram to reveal he was playing with a knee injury during his side's title-winning season.
“For the past six months, I played without an ACL in my left knee. Swollen knee for six months,” he wrote in May 2022.
"I was only able to train with the team 10 times in the last six months. Took more than 20 injections in six months."
"Emptied the knee once a week for six months. Painkillers every day for six months. Barely slept for six months because of the pain. Never suffered so much on and off the pitch."
"I made something impossible to something possible. In my mind I had only one objective, to make my teammates and coach champions of Italy because I made them a promise."
“Today I have a new ACL and another trophy.”
This has led to rumours that he is preparing to call it quits on a long and illustrious career on the pitch. He is one of the most decorated active footballers in the world, with a total of 34 trophies won over the course of his career. He is also regarded as one of the greatest strikers of all time with over 570 goals, including more than 500 club goals, and has scored in each of the last four decades.
In an international career that spans 20 years, Ibrahimović has made over 100 appearances for the Swedish national team, one of only 11 players to do so. He also holds the title as the country's all-time leading goalscorer with 62 goals.
AC Milan are not going to let talent like that go easily, and according to reports in Milan Press, the Swedish star is performing a new role within the squad. He has used his time on the bench to help guide his teammates on the pitch as a sort of deputy coach for Stefano Pioli. This role could become permanent if he announces his retirement from playing. However, as of yet, there has been neither confirmation nor denial of this speculation from the interested parties. We will just have to wait and see as Ibrahimović continues to impress on the pitch.
Henry
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