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Zlatan Ibrahimović on retirement and his new role at Milan – interview

AC Milan great Zlatan tells UEFA.com "I don't miss playing football" as he shares his excitement about a new era at Milan, "the club that gave me most in my career".

Zlatan: 'I want to give back to Milan'

Zlatan Ibrahimović finally hung up his boots in the summer of 2023, bringing down the curtain on a 24-year playing career. However, the former Sweden striker did not spend too long relaxing, returning to the club in advisory role under the direction of Milan's new American owners.

Now 43, the former Ajax, Juventus, Inter, Barcelona, Paris and Man United marksman spoke to UEFA.com about his new role, and his hopes for the future with the Rossoneri.

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On returning to Milan after the end of his playing career

I believe in the project, I believe in what Milan stands for, I believe I share the same vision as the people working and the ownership because they want to [do] amazing things. They're aiming to make history, winning, and when it comes to winning, that is where I feel I am alive because I want to win, I'll do anything to win, and I don't give up until I win.

I played for many clubs – amazing clubs, great clubs, great teams – and the club that gave me most in my career is Milan. I was here two [times] and what Milan stands for, I really like it. What I went through the first time, they gave me happiness when I played in Milan. The second time, they gave me love and I feel I just want to give back.

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On how it is to be an ex-player

Since I accepted not to play anymore, it's OK. I am [at] peace with it. So, that's why I don't miss playing football. What I mean [when I say] I get frustrated and cannot be on the field, it's because of my experience, because of who I am, because of what I am able to do; that is more where I get frustrated. But it's not like I miss playing the game.

I have great colleagues, and I work with good people that are helping me. We're young, we're hungry, we have big ambitions, we have a big vision, and everybody has a big will to do more. We're not satisfied until we get what we want, and that's winning. We speak a lot with the players – we. But me, myself, I speak a lot with them, like daily contact with them. It's part of the thing I do and it's part of the journey, to stay close, to help, to advise.

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On Milan's 125th anniversary celebrations

You can see in the club: everyone is excited. We are going to do great things for the 125th anniversary and we have some surprises we are going to do. I cannot expose everything here because then it's not a surprise.

We are just a new generation in a part of the history of the club. And, you go way back, you bring it with the present time; you go, you mix it up. That is you showing [what] Milan is. We have to [remind] ourselves of how it was before to keep going for the future because the past [decides] the future. And, we are very proud that we are a part of the story.

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On Christian Pulišić and Tijjani Reijnders

[Pulišić] is our Captain America. He is doing amazingly, you can see he is happy; being in Milan, every player you could ask [would say the same thing]. Everybody is happy, everybody is enjoying [themselves] because they are in a great club. We've put them in an amazing situation so that they only have to think about football [and] perform on the field. And, when it comes to Pulišić, we revived him from his previous situation. And, you can see he is really happy on the field and that's why he is performing on a high level.

When it comes to Reijnders, I think he is the player who has developed the most [out of] everybody in a short time because [over] the two years, we brought in many players, many different profiles, different characters, and he is the one who has an amazing development. Not a lot of fans [or] a lot of people knew about him. Even if he did a great job at AZ [Alkmaar]. He is showing that he is a high-level profile. And, I still believe he can grow even more.

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