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Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of the greatest mavericks football has seen in modern times, so let’s enjoy him while we can.
He will be 40 later this year, but it is still playing at the highest level and is fighting both Cristiano Ronaldo and Romelu Lukaku for the Golden Boot award.
The Milan striker has helped his side top Serie A with 10 goals, but will miss the crucial clash against Juventus where Ronaldo has the chance to pull clear for the prize known as capocannoniere in Italy.
Whatever happens, we’ll miss him when he is gone.
Displaying endless skill and flare with the ball, he has won won trophies at just about every club he’s played for.
He won eight consecutive league titles between 2003 and 2011 while playing for Ajax, Juventus, Inter, Barcelona and Milan.
In the latter part of his career, Ibrahimovic also enjoyed success with Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United before joining LA Galaxy.
The striker has still been playing this season in his second spell with Milan but has struggled with injury problems.
Better known to fans as Zlatan, he is also famous for his quotes in press interviews and about his former teammates and managers.
These are talkSPORT’s favourite quotes from the Swedish superstar.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic scores sensational bicycle kick as LA Galaxy take on New England Revolution
He was less than complementary about John Carew when the Norwegian striker called Zlatan’s tricks ‘pointless’.
“What Carew does with a football, I can do with an orange.”
Ibrahimovic made Liverpool defender Stephane Henchoz look like a fool in a game back in 2001 and let him know about it.
“First I went left; he did too. Then I went right and he did too. Then I went left again and he went to buy a hot dog.”
It’s fair to see he did get on well with Pep Guardiola, and the Swede did not last long at Barcelona once he was brought in as manager.
“When you buy me, you are buying a Ferrari. If you drive a Ferrari you put premium petrol in the tank, you hit the motorway and you step on the gas. Guardiola filled up with diesel and took a spin in the countryside. He should have bought a Fiat.
“Then Guardiola started his philosopher thing. I was barely listening. Why would I? It was advanced bulls*** about blood, sweat and tears, that kind of stuff.
“(Jose) Mourinho is Guardiola’s opposite. If Mourinho brightens up the room, Guardiola pulls down the curtains and I guessed that Guardiola now tried to measure himself with him.”
Zlatan regularly performed on the national stage for Sweden but his greatness was often not enough to see them progress in tournaments. His comments in interviews are legendary.
After scoring twice to qualify Sweden for Euro 2016 over Denmark, he said: “There was the thought that this would send me into retirement. I sent their entire country into retirement.”
And who can forget this famous exchange with a reporter ahead of the 2014 World Cup play-offs.
Zlatan: “Only God knows who will go through.”
Reporter: “It’s hard to ask him.”
Zlatan: “You’re talking to him.”
When Sweden lost to Portugal and failed to qualify, he said: “A World Cup without me is noting to watch, so it is not worth waiting for the World Cup.”
Meanwhile, when they were eliminated from Euro 2012, he said: “I don’t give a s*** who wins. I’m going on holiday.”
Zlatan also gave self-assured assessments while at some of the clubs he played for.
When asked about his future at PSG, he said: “I don’t believe they can change the Eiffel Tower for my statue, even the people behind the club. But if they can, I will stay here – I promise.”
After leaving PSG, he said: “I came like a king, left like a legend.”
He joined Manchester United after leaving the French club and Eric Cantona said he would be the prince of Manchester.
Zlatan replied: “I won’t be the King of Manchester, I will be the God of Manchester.”
Ibrahimovic also loved to talk about himself in the third person…
“I don’t think that you can score as spectacular a goal as those of Zlatan in a video game – even though these games are very realistic these days.
“An injured Zlatan is a serious thing for any team.”
“Zlatan doesn’t do auditions,” he said when speaking about Arsene Wenger wanting him to have a trial at Arsenal.
When asked about his ex-girlfriend’s engagement gift, he replied: “What do you mean present? She got Zlatan.”
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