Milan, Zlatan Ibrahimovic retires: ‘The time has come to say goodbye to football’

“Godbye”. And down in tears, moved. Zlatan greets Milan without playing and the Curva Sud of Milan pays homage to him with a banner. It says “Godbye”, a play on words dedicated to the idol of all time, twice Italian champion in the Rossoneri shirt and special leader. Milan-Verona opened like this, with Zlatan’s moved face next to the bench of the first team, in those sofas from which he never stopped cheering on him during the long months of stop. Ibra, once framed on the big screen, mimicked a heart with his hands, addressed to his fans. Everyone in the stadium is crying, and he laughs at first. Then even his eyes become glossy, red, wet, filled with sincere tears, and then even Ibrahimovic the tough guy, Rosengard’s boy, the braggart of the ghetto who sings, dances, cries and retires to San Siro. His Rossoneri “The Last Dance” is all in one sentence that cuts through the goodbye and immediately turns into a farewell. Goodbye to the ball. “The time has come to say goodbye to football.” And so it suddenly appears, after months and months of statements in which Zlatan had proudly shown his chest saying “I want to continue”.

The last dance

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Dark suit, pigtail, shirt with the last button open, the whole family in the stands and seventy thousand Milan fans all for him. His wife Helena, framed several times on the big screen, is crying profusely, as are her children. Zlatan’s ceremony begins after the 3-1 win against Verona, with a red carpet rolled out to midfield and the players around him. Ibra receives applause and hugs, the last with Pioli, Maldini, Massara and the president Scaroni, who give him a shirt with the number 11 signed by the whole team. All on the notes of “Now we are free”, the soundtrack of the Gladiator. Then he leaves: “At this stage many memories bind me, many emotions. I want to thank all my family and those who have been patient with me. And then I say thanks to my second family, the players and the fans, from the bottom of my heart. You made me feel at home.” The last sentence is for the entire Rossoneri world: “I will be a Milan fan for life. Now the time has come to say ‘hello’ to football, but not to you. See you around, if you’re lucky.” And then row to take the applause during the greeting field lap. Dancing, singing, moving, this time on the notes of “The best” by Tina Turner. Ibra day is a festival of love and passion. Even giants weep their hearts out.