Came like a king, left like a legend... Thanks, Zlatan!

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There was a Paris Saint-Germain before and after Zlatan Ibrahimović…

On 18th July 2012, it was official: Swedish football star and Serie A top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimović had signed a three-year deal with Paris in what was an exceptional transfer for an exceptional player. As a youngster, Ibrahimović was raised in the city district of Rosengård and started out in football at the age of six, firstly at Malmö BI, then at FBK Balkan.

The talented Zlatan joined Malmö FF in 1995, making his first-team debut in 1999 before leaving Sweden in 2001 to move to AFC Ajax, having played for his national team for the first time in a 0-0 draw with the Faroe Islands on 31st January that same year. His three seasons in the Netherlands confirmed his outstanding talent and eventually took him to Juventus, where he won his first two Scudetti (in 2005 and 2006), which were later taken away from Juve due to the Calciopoli match-fixing scandal.

After La Vecchia Signora's relegation to Serie B, Ibrahimović joined Inter Milan and won three more Italian league titles. In 2009, 'Ibra' decided to move to the prestigious FC Barcelona, where he spent a single season. Upon his return to Italy, this time at AC Milan, he earned himself another Serie A title in 2011 and a second Capocannoniere award for finishing as the league's top scorer in 2012.

Paris Saint-Germain were out to sign him, and they ended up getting their way on 18th July 2012. Ibrahimović made an instantly exceptional impact on Ligue 1, breaking records for both goals scored and assists provided. After scoring what was then the club's fastest-ever goal in the league (just 27 seconds into a 2-1 win away to Lille on 2nd September 2012), he became the first Paris player to score at least 30 goals in a single season since Carlos Bianchi did so 25 years previously. A proud, charming and provocative figure, Ibrahimović tore up the French top flight, winning 12 trophies – including two domestic quadruples – with Les Rouge et Bleu.

On 14th May 2016, he left France "like a legend" after one of the most successful seasons of his career, with 50 goals scored in 50 competitive fixtures. With a total of 180 appearances and 156 goals across four years, Ibrahimović's Paris career left an indelible mark on Les Rouge et Bleu's history.

After departing Paris, Zlatan headed to Manchester United, where he took home the Community Shield (with a 2-1 win over Leicester on 7th August 2016), the EFL Cup (scoring two goals, including the winner, in a 3-2 triumph over Southampton on 26th February 2017) and the UEFA Europa League (with a 2-0 victory over his former club Ajax on 24th May 2017). A serious ACL injury left him sidelined for seven months, but the prideful Zlatan would return to action before leaving Europe for the United States and LA Galaxy in March 2018.

Despite pulling off several pieces of individual brilliance, the Swede failed to win the MLS title and agreed to one last stint in Europe, returning to AC Milan in January 2020. At 39 years old, he bagged a final Serie A title with I Rossoneri before officially bowing out of the game yesterday aged 41, after an extraordinary 24-year career.

ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC in suMMARY:

Date and place of birth: 3rd October 1981, Malmö
Position: Striker
Career: Malmö FF (1999–2001), AFC Ajax (2001–2004), Juventus (2004–2006), Inter Milan (2006–2009), FC Barcelona (2009–2010), AC Milan (2010–2012), Paris Saint-Germain (2012–2016), Manchester United FC (2016–2018), LA Galaxy (2018–2019), AC Milan (2020–2023)
Honours: Eredivisie (2002 and 2004), Serie A (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2022), La Liga (2010), Ligue 1 (2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016), FIFA Club World Cup (2009), UEFA Super Cup (2009), UEFA Europa League (2017), KNVB Cup (2002), Johan Cruyff Shield (2002), Supercoppa Italiana (2006, 2008 and 2011), Supercopa de España (2009 and 2010), Coupe de France (2015 and 2016), Coupe de la Ligue (2014, 2015 and 2016), Trophée des Champions (2013, 2014 and 2015), Community Shield (2016), EFL Cup (2017), UEFA Europa League (2017), Serie A top scorer award (2009 and 2012) and Ligue 1 top scorer award (2013, 2014 and 2016).
International: 122 caps and 62 goals for Sweden.