Zlatan Ibrahimovic of AC Milan has announced his retirement from football at the age of 41, after one of the most illustrious careers of the modern era.
After Sunday's final match of the season, the Swede told the San Siro crowd, "I say goodbye to football but not to you."
Ibrahimovic has previously made his intention to leave the Italian team known.
He won league championships in four nations while scoring 511 goals for clubs including Paris St. Germain, Manchester United, AC Milan, and both AC and Inter Milan.
Ibrahimovic joined AC Milan for a second time in early 2020 after helping them win the Scudetto in 2011 and again the previous year.
When Ibrahimovic declared his retirement on the field, many of his teammates as well as the audience were in tears.
But he played only four times and started one match for the Serie A side this term – and scored one goal – following a series of injuries, and his contract was set to expire this month.
“There are too many emotions for me right now. Forza Milan and goodbye,” an emotional Ibrahimovic said, holding back tears.
“The first time I came here you gave me happiness, the second time you gave me love.
“You welcomed me with open arms, you made me feel at home, I will be a Milanista for the rest of my life.”
The San Siro produced a farewell tifo for club legend Ibrahimovic
Ibrahimovic won 34 trophies – including 14 league titles – in a career that began in the last century, and was nominated for the Ballon d’Or 11 times.
The one major club trophy that eluded him was the Champions League, with his only European title coming with Manchester United in the shape of the 2017 Europa League.
The striker also retires as Sweden’s all-time top scorer with 62 international goals in 122 matches.
He quit the national side after Euro 2016 but returned in 2021 for their unsuccessful World Cup qualifying campaign.