Ibrahimovic joined Major League Soccer outfit LA Galaxy last week after nearly two decades of professional football on the continent.
Spells with Malmo, Ajax, Juventus, Internazionale, Barcelona, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and the Red Devils brought 421 goals in 730 appearances and plenty of unforgettable experiences from the enegmatic Swedish forward.
"For me, it's always sad when the big players go in the direction of the end. I remember, for example, (Luis) Figo's last match with me at Inter, and I always remember tha as one of my saddest moments because I always feel very sorry when the big ones finish or go to the last period of their careers," he told reporters, as quoted by ESPN.
"Zlatan's goodbye moment was more in that direction. He's a huge, big player that top football, European football, is losing now and forever because he will not be back to this level of football.
"But fantastic for him in this period. It's a fantastic way not to go from being a player to being a former player, this period with Galaxy. These couple of years will be very good for him and American football.
"What he can do – teach, attract, his personality, passion for football he's always had since his recovery – was an example of what a professional should be is more the MLS and US as a football country is going to get, what more is Zlatan is going to get, will be just a way for him to enjoy the last couple of years of his football.