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Fans reacted to Indian cricketer Jasprit Bumrah posting a heartfelt message to Zlatan Ibrahimovic after the latter announced his retirement from football yesterday (4 June).
Zlatan Ibrahimovic announced he was retiring from football at the age of 41 in front of the AC Milan fans at the San Siro following the side's 3-1 victory against Hellas Verona. This solidified a fourth-place finish in Serie A, qualifying for the UEFA Champions League in the process.
It has been an injury-ravaged season for the Sweden international. He has only made four appearances this season, scoring just one goal. AC Milan announced earlier in the week that he would be leaving the club at the end of the season.
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Indian cricketer and Mumbai Indians superstar Jasprit Bumrah posted an emotional tweet to thank Zlatan Ibrahimovic for being his inspiration. He wrote:
"For being a constant source of inspiration for me and helping me discover that lion-hearted never-back-down attitude, thank you. You’ve made outstanding memories through your time in the game that’ll live on."
You can see a view fan reactions to Bumrah's post below:
Looking back at Zlatan Ibrahimovic's glorious career after his farewell speech to AC Milan fans
Zlatan Ibrahimovic will go down as one of the greatest and most successful forwards in football history. Blessed with technical ability and acrobatic volleys and known for his outspoken and brash personality, the 41-year-old has done it all in his career.
The Swedish star gave a farewell speech to the San Siro faithful yesterday. He said (via The Guardian):
“I say goodbye to football but not to you. So many memories and emotions inside this stadium. The first time I arrived, you gave me happiness, the second time, you gave me love."
"I want to thank my family and those close to me for their patience. I want to thank my second family. The players, the coach and his staff for the responsibility they gave me. I want to thank the directors for the opportunity they gave me."
He concluded:
“Last but not least, from my heart, I want to thank you, fans. You welcomed me with open arms and I will be a Milanista my entire life. It’s time to say goodbye to football but not to you. It’s too difficult, there are too many emotions. I’ll see you around if you are lucky. Forza Milan and goodbye.”
In his glittering 24-year professional career, the Swede has scored 496 goals and provided 204 assists in 827 club appearances. He has also played in seven different leagues, winning league titles for Ajax, Inter Milan, Barcelona, AC Milan, and Paris Saint-Germain.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored 62 goals in 122 appearances for Sweden on the international stage. He also won the 2013 FIFA Puskas Award after scoring an outrageous 35-yard bicycle kick against England in a 4-2 win.
