“I am the best. Behind Ali.« – The best sayings of Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Zlatan Ibrahimovic announced his retirement as a professional footballer on Sunday evening. The 41-year-old has been under contract with AC Milan since 2020, and the contract of the striker, who was plagued by injuries last year, expires at the end of the season. “Ibrakadabra” fought back tears on the field as he said goodbye. “The time has come to say goodbye to football, but not to you,” Ibrahimovic said over the stadium microphone.

At the press conference that followed, the Swede was able to throw in jokes again: “Today it rained, I thought: ‘Even God is sad’. The emotions were too strong, today I looked like a zombie,” said Ibrahimovic.

In the course of his professional career, the football star was never at a loss for a saying. We collected his best quotes:

• “Zlatan is only human. Just like a great white shark is just a fish.”
• “If you believe in Jesus, then you also believe in Zlatan.”
• “I feel like Benjamin Button. I was born old and I will die young.”
• “I had Sweden for breakfast. For lunch Europe. I took over the world for dinner. A lot of people don’t understand the level I’m at.”
• “We are looking for an apartment in Paris. If we don’t find anything, I’ll probably just buy the hotel.”
• “I chose football and I feel sorry for the fans of other sports. Because I would be the same.”
• “I’m the greatest – like Ali. Is that possible? two biggest? Well, well: I’m the greatest – behind Ali.”
• “I’m not a typical Swede, but I put Sweden on the map.”
• “If you want to stop me, you have to kill me.”
• “Become a coach? Impossible. I would beat at least two players during the game and eight after the game.”