Zlatan Ibrahimovic breaking goal record 'annoyed' AC Milan legend - with Swedish striker playing well beyond 40th birthday

Enigmatic frontman Ibrahimovic returned to San Siro for a second spell in 2020. Injuries would eventually force the legendary forward to hang up his boots, but not until his remarkable career had been extended well beyond a 40th birthday celebration.

Ibrahimovic was aged 41 years, five months and 15 days when converting a penalty for Milan against Udinese in March 2023. Said strike saw him become the oldest player to score in the Italian top-flight - eclipsing the efforts of Costacurta, who scored a spot-kick of his own on the final day of the 2006-07 campaign at the age of 41 years and 15 days.

Iconic defender Costacurta has told FourFourTwo of seeing Ibrahimovic erase one of his entries in the history books: "It annoyed me because I wanted to remain in Milan’s history and Zlatan took that from me. I played until 41 because I was lucky never to have a serious injury - I just broke my knee once. Otherwise, I was very careful about my body, what I ate and drank, and how I slept. There were no incredible secrets."

Ibrahimovic retired at the end of the 2022-23 season, with over 500 goals recorded at club level, and he now fills an advisory role with Milan that sees him working with USMNT stars Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah and Portuguese winger Rafael Leao.