Zlatan turns 40 in October. As a striker, being able to stay in the absolute top tier for so long is unique. And he has shamelessly compared himself to a lion, when he commented on his ability to recover quickly.
As early as January 2004, Zlatan was forced to undergo surgery after suffering from recurrent groin problems. An operation he was forced to perform three years later.
In 2008, he was away from games with Inter for just over a month due to a knee injury, he had a so-called jumping knee.
In May 2011, he was injured an internal ligament in the foot in connection with Milan securing the league title. Which in the long run meant that he missed a European Championship qualifier with Moldova. And later in the autumn of the same year, he again had groin problems which meant that he missed four matches with Milan, including the meeting with Barcelona in the Champions League.
In 2012, he was out of action for two weeks due to a foot injury. And in the autumn of 2013, he had problems with one of his knees swelling up, but not to the extent that it kept him away from games to any great extent.
A thigh injury (back) kept Zlatan away from games with PSG during four league rounds plus the league cup final in the spring of 2014. Later in the autumn he had problems with a heel and was away from games for a month and a half.
In the autumn of 2015, he missed the first three weeks of the season with PSG due to a knee injury.
April 20, 2017 was the big accident in front. Zlatan landed badly in the Europa League meeting with Anderlecht at home at Old Trafford, which resulted in a cruciate ligament injury in his right knee. The same knee he had previously had problems with.
The convalescence after the operation was short. Already on November 18 the same year, he made a comeback in a home game against Newcastle. Probably he was a little too fast in the turns, because then the right knee kept him away from games from December until the end of February 2018.
During his stay in the United States, in March 2019, he again suffered from health problems, but not of any serious nature.
Just before New Year 2019, Zlatan signed for Milan. Played 18 of 21 matches in the spring of 2020. The only injury break was two matches for a calf injury.
But this season the injury picture has escalated. Zlatan has been forced to experience what so many other athletes have noticed at a mature age. The body does not last forever when it comes to performing at world level. There will be injuries, and there will be consequential injuries.
For Zlatan, the autumn began with him missing two games after testing positive for Covid-19. Back in the game, there were five matches, and eight goals scored. Then first a thigh injury and then a calf injury kept him out of games in eight league rounds.
Back from the injury break played Zlatan eight games before troubled groins meant he had to rest three league rounds. Then played three games, pulled on a suspension, and rested two games due to muscle fatigue.
Made a comeback May 1, against Benevento. Started last weekend against Juventus, but then injured his knee after 65 minutes of play.
And now he is away for at least six weeks, misses the European Championship play-offs, and can thus focus on trying to be in shape again until the start of the season in August.
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