Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the LA Galaxy are officially parting ways after two eventful seasons, the 38-year-old Swedish superstar and the club announced Wednesday.
"I came, I saw, I conquered," Ibrahimovic wrote on Twitter. "Thank you LA Galaxy for making me feel alive again. To the Galaxy fans - you wanted Zlatan, I gave you Zlatan. You are welcome. The story continues...Now go back to watch baseball."
Zlatan Ibrahimovic wins his ninth Swedish Player of the Year award in Stockholm, November 12, 2018. /VCG Photo
The Swedish superstar scored 56 goals in 52 Major League Soccer (MLS) games after joining the Galaxy in March 2018, injecting his inimitable blend of talent and swagger into a stagnating club. This season, he scored a franchise-record 30 goals – more than the rest of the Galaxy roster combined (28).
A week before Zlatan debuted with a dramatic two-goal performance as a substitute in a win over crosstown rival Los Angeles FC (LAFC), he announced his arrival in Hollywood by taking out a full-page ad in the Los Angeles Times reading simply: "Dear Los Angeles, You're welcome."
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (R) of the LA Galaxy scores a goal during the MLS match against Toronto FC in Carson, California, U.S., July 4, 2019. /VCG Photo
"Since his arrival in 2018, Zlatan has positively influenced the sport of soccer in Los Angeles," LA Galaxy President Chris Klein said in a statement announcing the departure. "We are grateful for his work ethic and passion. We thank Zlatan for his professionalism and immeasurable impact on the Los Angeles community and the soccer community in North America as a whole."
Ibrahimovic's MLS jaunt was a mixed success, at least by his lofty standards. He was an elite, steady scorer for the five-time league champions and was likely the league's top box-office draw on the road, and he kept the market in thrill with his bold pronouncements and rivalries with opponents and clubs, particularly LAFC in the Galaxy's El Trafico rivalry series.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic of the LA Galaxy gestures toward his teammates in a game against LAFC during the MLS western conference semifinal in Los Angeles, U.S., October 24, 2019. /VCG Photo
But the Galaxy won just one playoff game in Zlatan's tenure, and they finished eighth in the overall league table this season after missing the playoffs in his debut campaign. He lost the MLS MVP award this year to LAFC's Carlos Vela, who scored a league-record 34 goals.
Although Ibrahimovic was their most important player for the past two seasons, the Galaxy didn't expect him to end his career with them, and he does not appear to be close to retirement. Rumors of his departure have been heard for months, and he has never stayed at any club for more than four seasons in his peripatetic career.
Ibrahimovic has been linked recently to a return to AC Milan, where he played two seasons and scored 42 Serie A goals from 2010-12. Milan is currently mired in 14th in the standings in Italy's top league while scoring just 11 goals in its 12 games.