Zlatan Ibrahimovic announces he will retire from football: 'I say goodbye to football but not to you.'

It was an emotional evening at San Siro, where Milan ended the season with a 3-1 win over Hellas Verona in the last game of the season.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic was injured, so he was not involved in the game. However, he was given a hero's farewell by the San Siro crowd, club directors and his teammates after the final whistle.

Zlatan Ibrahimović:

"The time has arrived to say goodbye".

We will miss you, forever and 𝐀𝐋𝐖𝐀𝐈𝐙❤️🖤

Good luck in retirement 👏 pic.twitter.com/vF0w3kCKU9

— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) June 4, 2023

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the 41-year-old was moved to tears even before kick-off, but emotions continued after the match when Ibra was awarded by Paolo Maldini.

He gave a speech, struggling to fight back the tears and, somehow surprisingly, announced his retirement from football. Many fans in the stands and some of his teammates, including Sandro Tonali, broke down in tears.

"So many memories and emotions inside this stadium," said Ibra.

"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.

"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."

Zlatan Ibrahimovic returned to Milan for a second spell in January 2020. Overall, he has scored 93 goals in 163 appearances with the Rossoneri winning two Serie A titles. The first one in 2010-11 and the second one in 2021-22.

Europe has the best and the toughest club competition in the world. The only thing which separates an elite club from a normal club is the Champions League title. Clubs all around Europe dream of winning this competition. Clubs with the most Champions League titles earn more bragging rights than the others. Let's take a look at the top clubs that have won the most number of Champions League titles in the tournament's history.

Champions League Finalists and Winners List since 1956

Top clubs with the most Champions League titles (3 or more)

1. Real Madrid CF (15 UCL titles)

Everyone considers Real Madrid C.F. as the most successful club in world football. This club has achieved great heights both in recent times and in the past. Real Madrid won the first-ever European Cup in 1955-56 which was also the founding year of the competition. Back then it was formally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup. The current format has been around since 1992. Real Madrid has won 15 UEFA Champions League titles which is more than any club in the world.

They won the tournament five consecutive times in the first five seasons of the tournament. Their recent achievement includes a three-peat of winning the UCL under Zinedine Zidane (2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18).

Cristiano Ronaldo was their star performer with the most impact in the competition. He further tops the chart of the most goal scorers and assists providers in the competition as well.

Also Read: Ronaldo records: Only player to be top scorer of the season in three different leagues

Real Madrid CF's Title winning years

2. AC Milan (7 UCL Titles)

AC Milan is an Italian giant with a rich history and glories. They produced players like Maldini, Dida, Nesta and many more. They dominated world football in the past few decades, but things have changed drastically since then.

Milan has fallen from the ranks of great clubs in recent times, but their UCL glory is still more than others, just behind Real Madrid. They have beaten the likes of Juventus, Liverpool, and Barcelona to win the Champions League in the past. Milan has won the Champions League 7 times in their history.

AC Milan's Title winning years

Also Read: Most Champions League Goals In History

3. FC Bayern Munich (6 UCL titles)

Bayern Munich has been the dominant force in Europe for quite a long time. They dominate the Bundesliga and the domestic cup titles, too. Recently, they have been one of the most prominent sides in Europe to deal with. Bayern humiliated Barcelona with an 8-2 defeat in the UCL quarter-finals and won the 2019-20 Champions League, beating PSG comfortably by 1-0.

Robert Lewandowski was their main man in recent years, with the most goals. However, they have consistently produced players like Robben, Franck Ribery, Thomas Muller and others who helped them win the trebles and sextuples.

Bayern Munich's Title winning years

4. Liverpool FC (6 UCL titles)

Liverpool has turned the tables beautifully in recent times. They were a great force in the European competition but suddenly went numb. Liverpool had a rough patch where they went trophyless for many years. With the appointment of Jurgen Klopp as manager, Liverpool slowly redeemed themselves. In the 2017-18 season, they reached the UCL finals but failed to win against Real Madrid.

Next season they came back stronger, from a 3-0 defeat in the first leg to win 4-0 in the second leg and knocked Barcelona out of the UCL semis. Liverpool went on to be the champions defeating Spurs by 2-0 in the all-English final to win their 6th UCL trophy. Their great comeback against Milan in 2005 at Istanbul still gives goosebumps to every football fan.

Liverpool's Title winning years

5. FC Barcelona (5 UCL Titles)

FC Barcelona are one of the biggest clubs in Europe with a great history in the UCL. They have won the title 5 times, while three of them came in the last decade. Their famous Lamasia - The FC Barcelona academy produced world-class players at the time. Players like Andres Iniesta, Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Gerard Pique and many more were a part of the academy.

Coach Pep Guardiola conquered the world with some beautiful football. He managed to win both the Treble and Sextuple during his reign. A few years later Luis Enrique guided them to their 5th UCL title and also a treble. That was Barcelona's last high run in the UCL. After that, they have faced some problems and have not been able to continue their dominance in European football.

Read Also: Top 10: Most Free-kick Goals In Football History

FC Barcelona's Title winning years

6. Ajax (4 UCL Titles)

AFC Ajax has a great history. They are the only team to win the UCL 4 times which is not from the top 5 leagues. Football maestro Johan Cruyff was from this team, he later changed the definition of playing football. Introducing Tiki-taka football to the world, Ajax had a great run in the past. He later influenced Barcelona to play that type of football which brought them huge success in the end.

They last won the title in 1995 when the likes of Van der Sar, and Rijkaard used to play for them. Since then they have reached the UCL semifinal in 2019 upsetting big teams and then lost to the Spurs in the semifinal in the dying minutes. Ajax's run is considered one of the greatest underdogs in the history of the UEFA Champions League.

Ajax's Title winning years

7. Manchester United (3 UCL Titles)

Manchester United one of the greatest clubs in the world has won three Champions League titles. They looked like the best team in the world during their reign. Players like David Beckham, Ryan Gigs, and Wayne Rooney were part of the golden team when United lifted their 3rd European title. Sir Alex Ferguson, the manager of this team is one of the greatest ever in the history of the sport. He introduced one of the recent footballing greats Cristiano Ronaldo in top-flight football, who was also part of that 2007-08 team.

Manchester United have also won the treble and enlisted themselves in an elite list in World Football. Since then they qualified for two Champions League finals but faced defeat against FC Barcelona.

Read Also: 10 Most FA Cup Winners List: FA Cup in detail

Manchester United's Title winning years

8. Internazionale (3 UCL Titles)

Internazionale won two of their three trophies back in the 1960s. Since then, they have been having a disappointing year in and year out. Their recent UCL title was in 2009-10 when Jose Mourinho took charge. They were not the favourites in that season, yet they went on to win the UCL.

Jose Mourinho at that time was emerging as one of the best coaches in the world. He played typical defensive football, frustrating his opponents, which created mistakes. They capitalised on those mistakes and went on to win their 3rd Champions League. They defeated the heavyweights Barcelona in the semis and Bayern Munich in the final to clinch their title.

Internazionale's Title winning years

Clubs with less than three Champions League titles:

The Champions League was earlier called the European Cup, and it started in 1955, and the first winner was Real Madrid. For the next 5 years, Real Madrid did not let anyone get close to the trophy.

Since then, 23 teams have won the glory, with Manchester City being the most recent one. As we get close to another UEFA Champions League final, we take a look at the Champions League winners list since 1965.

The Champions League winners list since 1955/56 is:

1956 - Real Madrid
1957 - Real Madrid
1958 - Real Madrid
1959 - Real Madrid
1960 - Real Madrid
1961 - Benfica
1962 - Benfica
1963 - AC Milan
1964 - Inter Milan
1965 - Inter Milan
1966 - Real Madrid
1967 - Celtic
1968 - Manchester United
1969- AC Milan
1970- Feyenoord
1971 - Ajax
1972 - Ajax
1973 - Ajax
1974 - Bayern
1975 - Bayern
1976 - Bayern
1977 - Liverpool
1978 - Liverpool
1979 - Nottingham Forest
1980 - Nottingham Forest
1981 - Liverpool
1982 - Aston Villa
1983 - Hamburger SV|
1984 - Liverpool
1985 - Juventus FC
1986 - Steaua București
1987 - FC Porto
1988 - PSV
1989 - AC Milan 
1990 - AC Milan
1991 - Red Star Belgrade
1992 - Barcelona
1993 - Olympique de Marseille
1994 - AC Milan
1995 - Ajax
1996 - Juventus FC
1997 - Borussia Dortmund
1998 - Real Madrid
1999 - Manchester United
2000 - Real Madrid
2001 - Bayern 
2002 - Real Madrid
2003 - AC Milan
2004 - Porto
2005 - Liverpool
2006 - Barcelona
2007 - AC Milan
2008 - Manchester United
2009 - Barcelona
2010 - Inter Milan
2011 - Barcelona
2012 - Chelsea FC
2013 - Bayern Munich
2014 - Real Madrid
2015 - Barcelona
2016 - Real Madrid
2017 - Real Madrid
2018 - Real Madrid
2019 - Liverpool
2020 - Bayern Munich
2021 - Chelsea FC
2022 - Real Madrid
2023 - Manchester City
2024 - Real Madrid

Let's have a look at the teams with the most trophies since 1955/56: 

Real Madrid x 15
AC Milan x 7
Bayern x 6 
Liverpool FC x 6
FC Barcelona x 5
Ajax x 4
Inter x 3
Manchester United x 3
Juventus x 2 
Benfica x 2
Nottingham Forest  x 2
Porto x 2
Chelsea x 3
Celtic x 1
Hamburger SV x 1
Steaua București x 1 
Olympique de Marseille x 1
Borussia Dortmund x 1
Feyenoord x 1
Aston Villa x 1
PSV x 1
Red Star Belgrade x 1
Manchester City x 1

Proper fitness and training are a must for every sportsperson today. No matter which field of sports you are associated with, a nutrition-rich diet, exercising, and taking extreme care of physical health are an absolute mandate.

World-renowned athletes also inspire the younger generation to emphasize their physical health and lead a disciplined life. On this note, let's take a look at the top 6 male fittest players in the world.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest footballers of all time and a huge inspiration to billions. Apart from his football skills, the entire world knows Ronaldo for his chisled and well-featured physique.

The Portuguese captain had the physical capabilities of a 20-year-old when he joined Juventus in 2018. 

He had 7% body fat and a muscle mass of 50%. He weighs around 79 kg. The pivotal reason behind these extreme physical abilities is his dedication to fitness and his physical health.

No wonder his performances advanced at this level throughout the past years. 

Ronaldo focuses on his sleep and nutrition as he eats five times a day and sleeps 8 hours as well. The 39-year-old has an extreme fitness routine. He enjoys his cardio, pilates and strength exercises. 

Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli is undoubtedly the athlete who revolutionized the concept of fitness in India. He is one of the fittest athletes in India at the moment. The former Indian test skipper influenced, and still influences his teammates, the younger generation, and his fans to follow the path of a proper fitness regime.

There has been a massive improvement in his performance since he started eating clean and followed a definite path of athleticism.

Kohli weighs around 74.5-75 kg and has been maintaining that weight for the last few years. He is one of the fastest runners in cricket and focuses on nutrition and strength training to stay fit.

Mohamed Salah

The current Liverpool winger did not look like this when he left England in 2015 to join Italian Club Fiorentina and then Roma. However, since then, Egyptian footballers have become some of the fittest players in the world. 

He has a very low body fat percentage and maintains a disciplined life, making a lot of sacrifices to remain in shape. 

Salah generally has mixed variants of food to have all kinds of nutrition and then focuses on his training to stay fit. He normally trains twice a day if he is skipping his football practice. "My nutritionist says that because I don't have any fat on my body, I can eat what I want. I also don't drink, so it's fine," Salah told CNN in 2020. Discover the world of football with https://1xbitpakistan.com/

LeBron James

The 6 feet 8 inches tall LeBron James is one of the greatest basketball players in NBA history. The 113-kilo weight basketballer is undoubtedly the oldest NBA player currently.

James, throughout his career, has remained fit and lean. However, in 2014, he gained some weight but then lost many kilos with his diet and training. "I am very consistent with training my body, rehabbing my body, eating, having my body be very clean throughout this journey because I've always wanted to have a long career, or as long as I could be in this space," James told Tim Ferriss in an interview in 2018. 

Moreover, he sleeps more than 8 hours a day and sometimes 9 or 10 to recover well.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of the most influential figures in modern football. The 42-year-old, even after calling it a day, follows a strict regime to remain in his fittest form. According to GQItalia, his food items are carefully weighed on a scale.

No matter how small a quantity the food is, everything needs to be measured to the exact gram. Also, junk food is a strict no for him. His workout routine, along with a strict diet, are the reasons behind his fitness and strength

Rich Froning

This list would remain incomplete without Rich Froning, the greatest CrossFit athlete of all time. He is the first and only athlete to clinch the title of "Fittest Man on Earth" 4 times consecutively from 2011. He is immensely powerful and can deadlift 545 pounds. Also, he can snatch 300 pounds, and do 75 chin-ups after deadlifting 545 pounds. His interest in strength and CrossFit games began during his fire department training days.

AC Milan have reportedly finalized the decision to part ways with current manager Sergio Conceicao following the end of the ongoing season.

According to multiple reports from Italy, the Portuguese manager can also be shown the door if the Rossoneris fail to earn victories against in their upcoming two matches against Lecce and Como, which are scheduled to take place before the international break in March.

Despite winning the Supercoppa Italiana with AC Milan in January, while beating the eternal rivals Inter Milan in the final, Conceicao failed to lead Milan to the coveted success in Serie A this season. 

Conceicao to bow out of Milan at the season's end

According to Italian journalist Nicolo Schira, Conceicao's tenure at AC Milan "will be over at the end of the season". With another looming threat over the 50-year-old, he could lose his job as early as this month, if Milan suffers defeats against Lecce and Como before the international break.

#ACMilan have decided not to confirm Sergio #Conceicao. His story at #Milan will be over at the end of the season, even if he could be sacked with the immediate effect if he loses against Lecce and Como before the international break. #transfers

— Nicolò Schira (@NicoSchira) March 8, 2025

Corriere della Sera, another well-known Italian media outlet, reported that Milan may consider dismissing head coach Conceicao before the summer clause takes effect. This would allow both parties to part ways 'early' if the team's performance does not improve in the coming week.

The pressure is now mounting on Sergio Conceicao as AC Milan is currently positioned ninth on the Serie A leaderboard, having accumulated 41 points across 27 games. 

During the summer, Conceicao was already a top candidate for the head coach position at Milan. However, the club ultimately chose Paulo Fonseca for the role. After a few months of disappointing results, Fonseca was dismissed, and his compatriot Conceicao took over as the new head coach.

The former FC Porto manager took charge of AC Milan on 30 December 2024. Under his managerial radar, the Rossoneris have played 17 matches, achieving 8 wins, 3 draws, and 6 losses so far.

Conceicao's tussle with Arrigo Sacchi

Sergio Conceicao's stay at Milan has been distressing due to the continuous speculations from different discussions. Recently, the Portuguese manager has been heavily criticized by the legendary former Milan coach Arrigo Sacchi, who "feels that it is ‘complicated’ for Conceicao to salvage his job in San Siro".

In his La Gazzetta dello Sport column, Sacchi conveyed his belief that it is "complicated" for Conceicao to save his job at San Siro. He also believes that the main issue is the lack of unity among the squad, which he sees as more significant than the team's results or the absence of goals on the pitch.

Sergio Conceiçao has not brought the benefits that all the supporters were expecting. Milan is in ninth place. This is not a position for a club that has written the history of football. We need to stop and seriously reflect with humility.

In response, Conceicao did not hold back his frustration over Sacchi's recent criticism, noting Sacchi's earlier praise contrasted with his current daily attacks in the media.

Two months ago, he said I was an important coach, now he criticizes me every day. I sent him a message, but he didn’t reply…

#Conceicao contro #Sacchi: “Due mesi fa diceva che ero un allenatore importante, adesso mi massacra tutti i giorni. Gli ho scritto un messaggio, non mi ha risposto…”. #ACMilan pic.twitter.com/Gln8BhudCc

— Nicolò Schira (@NicoSchira) March 7, 2025

In another controversial incident, Conceicao's relationship with the Milan officials has seemingly deteriorated. The manager faced a backlash when his spokesperson claimed he felt unsupported by the club's management and criticized the team's structure.

However, Conceicao publicly denied these statements, affirming the club's support and his regular communication with the directors.

🎙️ O porta-voz de Sérgio Conceição tinha afirmaso que o técnico se sente sozinho e sem apoio da diretoria, criticando a estrutura do Milan e o comprometimento do elenco. Mas o treinador negou tudo, dizendo que o clube está com ele e que mantém contato diário com a diretoria.… pic.twitter.com/u4RfHKVGK8

— Andersinho Marques (@Andersinho_ITA) March 7, 2025

The upcoming weeks will be very crucial for Sergio Conceicao, as he will leave no stone unturned to end his tenure at Milan on a high, bringing Rossoneris close to the qualification zone for the continental competitions.

Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Benfica, Club Brugge, Feyenoord, PSG, PSV and Real Madrid qualified for the Round of 16 from the UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Knockout phase play-offs.

Real Madrid thrashed Manchester City by 3-1, PSV stunned Juventus with the same scoreline while PSG scored 7 times against Brest and Bayern Munich played out a 1-1 draw against Celtic in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Knockout phase play-offs.

Read Also |  2024-25 UEFA Champions League round of 16, quarter-final and semi-final draw: Where is it, when is it, and teams' pairings?

UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Knockout phase play-offs Round-Up

Milan 1-1 Feyenoord (agg: 1-2)

Italian football giants and one of the most successful teams in UEFA Champions League history AC Milan were knocked out of this season's tournament after Dutch club Feyenoord defeated them by 1-2 on aggregate. 

Feyenoord were leading by 1-0 after the first leg and then they ensured a 1-1 draw to progress to the round of 16 for the first time in their history. 

Santiago Giménez scored early for Milan but against a 10-men Milan side Julián Carranza came off the bench to seal an equaliser with a stunning header. 

Benfica 3-3 Monaco (agg: 4-3)

Orkun Kökçü scored a late winner for Benfica to progress to the next round after beating Monaco by 4-3 on aggregate. 

Kerem Aktürkoğlu gave Benfica the early edge only to see Takumi Minamino and Eliesse Ben Seghir put Monaco back on level terms. 

Vangelis Pavlidis then gave Benfica the lead but George Ilenikhena levelled things again. Kokcu then sealed the winner for Benfica with a later goal.

Atalanta 1-3 Club Brugge (agg: 2-5)

Chemsdine Talbi's brace and Ferran Jutglà's stunning long-range goal took Club Brugge to the round of 16 with ease. 

Ademola Lookman scored the lone goal for Atalanta. However, he also saw one penalty saved by Simon Mignolet as well. 

Bayern Munich 1-1 Celtic (agg: 3-2) 

Bayern Munich narrowly passed the Celtic test with a late goal from Alphonso Davies. Nicolas Kuhn scored the goal for Celtic in the one-hour mark and when they were nearly close to taking Bayern Munich to extra time, Davies took the German Champions home.

B. Dortmund 0-0 Sporting CP (agg: 3-0)

Despite a goalless draw at their home, Borussia Dortmund went past their Portuguese visitors with ease, after a solid 3-0 lead from the first leg. 

In the second leg, Rui Silva was the hero for the Portuguese team who made multiple saves to deny the Dortmund players. 

Paris 7-0 Brest (agg: 10-0)

PSG thrashed their Ligue 1 opponent Brest via a 7-0 victory in the second leg to manage a 10-0 win on aggregate. 

PSG became the first team to have seven different scorers in a single match. Bradley Barcola, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Vitinha, Désiré Doué, Nuno Mendes, Gonçalo Ramos and Senny Mayulu scored for the French giants.

PSV 3-1 Juventus, aet (agg: 4-3)

🚨🇪🇺 GOAL | PSV 3-1 Juventus | Ryan Flamingo

RYAN FLAMINGO MAKES IT THREE FOR PSV IN THE 98TH MINUTE OF OVERTIME !!!!!!!!!!!!! 4-3 ON AGGREGATE !!!!!!!pic.twitter.com/n9Y0TXCmmo

— Tekkers Foot (@tekkersfoot) February 19, 2025

PSV stunned the Italian giants to qualify for the round of 16. This is their first Champions League knockout win since 2007. 

Ryan Flamingo scored an extra-time goal to nullify Timothy Weah's stunning goal. 

Ivan Perisic and Ismael Saibari scored the other two goals for the Dutch club.

Real Madrid 3-1 Man City (agg: 6-3)

Real Madrid proved why they are the 15 times Champions League winner as they eased past a struggling Manchester City to reach the Round of 16. 

Kylian Mbappe scored a stunning hat-trick to take the defending champions to the next round in front of their home crowd. Nico González scored a late consolation goal for City.