Zlatan Ibrahimovic compared himself to basketball star Nikola Jokic after returning from a nine-month injury lay-off in Milan's victory over Atalanta.

The evergreen striker came on in the second half of Sunday's 2-0 win at San Siro, having previously been an unused substitute in three matches this month.

He made history by overtaking Alessandro Costacurta (41y and 25d) as Milan's oldest Serie A player in the three-points-per-win era (since 1993-94) at 41 years and 146 days.

While the Sweden international may turn 42 later this year, he still feels he has a big part to play, just like two-time NBA MVP Jokic for the Denver Nuggets.

"I want to help the team in every way by doing what I have to do to be there on the field," he told Sky Sport. "I want to be there when the coach and the team need me.

"It's obvious things change between the age of 30 and 41, but I feel like Jokic in the NBA."

Ibrahimovic's previous appearance for Milan came in a 3-0 win over Sassuolo on May 25 last year, with the former Barcelona striker injuring his knee and undergoing surgery.

Given his age at the time of the operation and the length of the lay-off, many expected Ibrahimovic to call time on his legendary career.

"I've lived this year with great suffering," he said when asked what it means to be back playing again at the highest level. "I've been out for a year. 

"I didn't feel well and I couldn't do what I wanted to do. I went on with suffering to help the team but in reality I wasn't well. 

"Today I can say that I'm fine and that I can give what I can to the team. Then obviously the more you play, the more you train and the more you improve."

Juan Musso's own goal – after Theo Hernandez's volley hit the post and went in off the goalkeeper's back – and Junior Messias' late strike earned Milan a fourth win in a row.

That includes three Serie A wins on the spin without conceding for the first time in a year, helping to lift the Rossoneri level on points with second-place rivals Inter.

It has been a largely disappointing campaign on the whole for Milan as they are 18 points adrift of leaders Napoli, something Ibrahimovic suggested may be down to his absence.

"I've done everything I can to recover, but in the last few weeks I've seen the team do well," he said. "We must continue doing more if we are to do well.

"I feel important and have a great responsibility here. I started an adventure with this team and helped to bring it where we are today. 

"When I'm not available I suffer, and perhaps the teams lacks a bit of my pressure as well as a result."

Stefano Pioli hailed the return of "leaders" Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Mike Maignan after both players made their comeback in Milan's 2-0 win over Atalanta on Sunday.

Ibrahimovic was brought on in the second half for his first appearance since May 2022 when undergoing surgery on his knee that many thought would end his career.

Goalkeeper Maignan was back between the sticks for the first time since sustaining an injury of his own in September, meanwhile, and marked his return with a clean sheet.

The pair coming back into the fold coincides with Milan's best run of form this season, having now won four games in a row in all competitions, and Pioli is delighted to be back to full strength.

"Mike and Zlatan are not only two excellent players, but also two leaders of the team," Pioli, who was taking charge of his 800th career game as a coach, told DAZN. 

"Having them on the pitch helps us a lot. Now we must think about the next match. We will have players absent for that game but will still put in a good performance."

At 41 years and 146 days, Ibrahimovic overtook Alessandro Costacurta (41y, 25d) as Milan's oldest player in Serie A in the three-points-per-win era (1993-94 season).

The veteran striker only had 14 touches of the ball in his 16 minutes in action and did not manage a shot, but Milan's second goal arrived with him on the field.

Junior Messias clipped the ball over Juan Musso, who had earlier scored an unfortunate own goal when Theo Hernandez's 25-yard volley hit the post and went in off his body.

It was a brilliant strike from Hernandez after Olivier Giroud had nodded the ball into his path, and the wing-back believes he should be credited with the goal himself.

"I consider it my goal," he said. "I'm going to count it as mine. Thanks also to Oli for knocking it down for me. It was a good goal.

"It's true that we went through a difficult time, but with this victory we are getting back to being the Milan we were before."

Milan have now won four games without conceding in all competitions for the first time since February 2018, with their latest victory moving them level with second-place Inter.

The Rossoneri wasted a number of good chances with the game at 1-0, but Atalanta failed to offer any sort of attacking threat.

Indeed, they had only three attempts all match – their lowest tally since April 2013 – and did not test the returning Maignan on a single occasion.

"We gave our all and tried everything, but Milan were superior on the night and we must learn from these games to focus on the next one," Gian Piero Gasperini said. 

"What we saw tonight was that despite our best efforts, it is evident Milan simply had more than we did."

The only blemish for Milan is that Rafael Leao – who set up Messias' goal – and Rade Krunic will miss next week's trip to Fiorentina after being booked for the fifth time this term.

Milan defeated Atalanta 2-0 at San Siro to move level on points with second-place Inter in a match that saw Zlatan Ibrahimovic make his first appearance in nine months.

Inter's surprise 1-0 loss to Bologna earlier on Sunday opened the door for Milan to pounce and they took full advantage on home soil with a fourth win in a row in all competitions.

Juan Musso's 25th-minute own goal – after Theo Hernandez's long-range volley hit the frame of goal and went in off the goalkeeper's back – put Stefano Pioli's side on their way.

The hosts, who also had fit-again keeper Mike Maignan back in their side for the first time since September, added a deserved second through Junior Messias late on following the long-awaited return of Ibrahimovic.

There was a slice of fortune involved in Milan's opener as Hernandez's sublime strike from 25 yards was helped over the line by Musso after the ball had hit the post.

Rafael Leao clipped the side-netting, fired over from a glorious position and was then denied by a fine Musso save as Milan struggled to make their superiority truly show.

Messias was the next Milan player to fire off target with plenty of the goal to aim for, with that proving to be the moment Pioli turned to Ibrahimovic.

The home side finally killed off the contest through Messias' clipped finish over Musso four minutes from time after being played through on goal by Leao.

Stefano Pioli has confirmed Mike Maignan will make his first appearance since September when Milan host Atalanta on Sunday, saying the goalkeeper has resembled a "lion in a cage" while out injured.

Maignan has been out since suffering a calf injury in France's 2-0 Nations League win over Austria on September 22, missing Les Bleus' run to the World Cup final in Qatar as well as a large portion of Milan's campaign. 

Ciprian Tatarusanu has made 16 league starts as Milan's stand-in goalkeeper this season, and the Romanian made several key saves in last week's hard-fought 1-0 win at Monza. 

However, Pioli is excited by the return of a goalkeeper he believes was Serie A's finest last season, with Maignan set to start against fellow top-four contenders Atalanta at San Siro.

"Mike will play," Pioli said at Saturday's pre-match press conference.

"Tata did his duty fully. He struggled in the beginning because he hadn't played for a long time, then he found rhythm and made a good contribution. He hasn't been very well lately. 

"Mike has been a lion in a cage, he's doing well and is very motivated, he will certainly give us a great contribution. He was the best goalkeeper last season and he gives us a lot.

"However, he is a player who hasn't played for five months. He will need some time, but we are expecting a lot and I am very happy with his return."

Maignan kept 17 clean sheets in 32 league games as Milan won the Scudetto last season – more than any other Serie A goalkeeper.

Meanwhile, the 27-year-old's save percentage of 79.41 was only bettered by one goalkeeper to make at least 10 appearances in Serie A last term – Torino's Etrit Berisha with 80.49 per cent.

Maignan is not the only Milan star returning from a lengthy period on the sidelines, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic being an unused substitute on two occasions this month as he awaits his first outing since undergoing anterior cruciate ligament surgery. 

Asked whether the 41-year-old's long-awaited comeback could arrive on Sunday, Pioli said: "It could, the first call I made with him was to get him back with the group against Torino.

"Ibra is getting better and better. He knows how much he worked and suffered to be available again. Now he's available, he's ready to play."

Milan have won their last three matches across all competitions, with each victory coming via a 1-0 scoreline. 

The Rossoneri are yet to win four consecutive games at any point this season, while they have not posted four successive victories without conceding since February 2018 (a run of five).

Stefano Pioli set Milan the target of securing a top-four finish in Serie A as he declared himself satisfied with the Rossoneri's response to a dire run of form.

Milan went seven games without a win across all competitions recently, losing three successive league matches before stopping the rot against Torino last Friday.

The Rossoneri then built on that victory with a 1-0 win in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against Tottenham, with Spurs failing to respond to Brahim Diaz's early header.

Having been heavily criticised for his tactical switches during Milan's poor run, Pioli has been vindicated by those victories, although he maintains they have work to do to secure a top-four finish.

"Everyone experiences the results with their gut; we have to be impervious to both criticism and excessive praise," Pioli said at a press conference to preview Saturday's trip to Monza.

"It's the league season that gives us the concrete possibility of playing in the Champions League again next year. I've seen the things I wanted to see.

"We're coming from two very good games, and we're trying to win tomorrow. The next game will tell how the team is doing, against a team that is doing very well and playing very well."

Milan are still waiting for the return of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who was an unused substitute for last week's win against Torino after recovering from anterior cruciate ligament surgery.

The 41-year-old striker was absent from the matchday squad for Tuesday's win over Spurs but is available to face Monza, although the form of Olivier Giroud means Pioli has a decision to make.

"The more [Ibrahimovic] trains, the more his condition increases. He'll be available tomorrow, too," Pioli said.

"Giroud is doing very well, [Divock] Origi is doing well, too, and tomorrow I'll see what choices to make."

Saturday's game will see Milan reunited with former owner Silvio Berlusconi, who has overseen Monza's dramatic rise to the top flight since purchasing the club in 2018.

The 86-year-old recently declared Portugal international Rafael Leao should be used in a central striking role by Milan, and Pioli was in no mood to argue with him.

"I always agree with Berlusconi," Pioli smiled. "Always." 

Olivier Giroud's superb header saw Milan end a five-game winless streak in Serie A but Zlatan Ibrahimovic had to wait for his comeback in a 1-0 victory over Torino.

Milan, playing their 3,000th Serie A game, had lost their last four matches in all competitions heading into Friday's tussle at San Siro, but they came away with the points thanks to Giroud's moment of quality.

Theo Hernandez teed up that goal but then missed a golden chance to double Milan's lead.

However, the champions held firm to get back on the winning trail, ensuring the only disappointment for the home fans was that veteran forward Ibrahimovic – back from injury – did not come on from the bench for his first appearance since May last year.

With Ibrahimovic poised on the bench, the first half in Milan unfurled more like a warm-up support show before the headline act.

Giroud and Antonio Sanbria lodged the only on-target shots of a low-wattage opening half, with the Milan strikers' header snuffed out by visiting goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic in the 29th minute.

Having resisted the urge to call on Ibrahimovic, Stefano Pioli was rewarded by an improved display after the break, with Milinkovic-Savic almost spilling Giroud's low effort over the line.

Milan's breakthrough came just after the hour, however, with Giroud rocketing a header home from Hernandez's cross.

Hernandez should have settled the nerves for Milan after latching onto Pierre Kalulu's excellent pass in the 76th minute, only to drill wide of a gaping goal.

Fortunately for Hernandez, Torino could not make Milan pay as the Rossoneri extended their unbeaten home run against them to 27 Serie A matches.

Stefano Pioli has defended Milan's decision to not sign a new goalkeeper, despite first choice Mike Maignan still being ruled out indefinitely.

Maignan has not played for Milan since injuring his calf during France's 2-0 Nations League win over Austria on September 22.

The 27-year-old was subsequently ruled out of France's World Cup campaign and has now missed Milan's past 20 matches, with veteran goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu deputising.

Reigning Italian champions Milan's form has nosedived since the turn of the year, having gone seven matches without a win in all competitions, losing five of those.

Milan are unsure when Maignan will return, meaning Tatarusanu is set to start Friday's league game with Torino and next week's Champions League last-16 first leg with Tottenham.

It was previously suggested Milan's board were behind the decision to not recruit an established keeper in January, but Pioli has confirmed he also had a say in the matter.

"The choice was mine and that of the technical team," he said at Thursday's pre-match press conference ahead of facing Torino. 

"We have faith in Tatarusanu and we think that Maignan could be back in action soon."

Asked exactly when he expects Maignan to return to the side, Pioli said: "I don't know. His recovery is progressing well and he's returned to the field, albeit not with the team."

In better news on the injury front for Milan, veteran striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic returned to team training last week and is closing in on a comeback after nine months out injured.

Pioli, whose side have slipped to sixth and are 18 points off leaders Napoli, suggested Ibrahimovic may play a part against Torino.

"He's feeling better," Pioli said. "His role in the side is to be a great motivator and a great player. He'll be with us tomorrow because he wants to be with us."

Rafael Leao is pushing for a recall after being named as a substitute in Milan's past two Serie A games – not since between March and July 2020 has he been benched three games in a row.

"Leao is important for me and the team," Pioli said of the Chelsea-linked forward, who has nine goals and seven assists in 28 appearances this season.

"He's back from the World Cup and played well against Salernitana before losing a bit of his brilliance. He's much happier when he's playing, but I see a motivated and focused player."

Pioli is aiming to avoid losing four successive Serie A games as a manager for only the second time, having previously done so in 2012 as Bologna head coach.

Milan have lost their past two meetings with seventh-place Torino – not since 1969 have they lost three in a row in this fixture – and Pioli accepts an improvement is needed.

"They are a tricky team to play against," he said. "They have caused problems by pressing all over the pitch.

"We have to move a lot better and do something different compared to our past two games against them."

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has promised a "change of tone" at Milan as he nears a return to action.

Ibrahimovic has not featured this season, having undergone surgery on an anterior cruciate ligament injury shortly after Milan ended an 11-year wait to win the Serie A title in May.

While Milan started respectfully in his absence, they have slipped to sixth in Serie A – 18 points adrift of leaders Napoli – after going five league games without a win.

Milan failed to record a single shot on target in a meek derby defeat to Inter last time out, and their winless run is their worst in Serie A since April 2018.

However, Ibrahimovic believes Milan have overcome more challenging times since he returned for a second spell at the club in 2020, and foresees a return to form.

"When I arrived three years ago, people spoke of a situation that was worse than now. In reality, it's not as bad as some people say," Ibrahimovic told the club's media channels.

"In one or two years, we did fantastic things, and we're still doing great things.

"I call situations like this moments, because it's a moment where there's been a drop and we're struggling, but we need to return to form as quickly as possible.

"It's not as if anybody's happy with our form. We're all working to change things so we can get back to how we were before the World Cup. This season is a bit different, but this isn't an excuse. 

"Is it a coincidence that this club has won 19 league titles and seven Champions Leagues? Great champions have played here. This is Milan, and Milan needs to win. Coincidences don't exist."

Ibrahimovic handed Milan a huge boost by returning to team training last week, and though it remains to be seen how soon he can return to competitive action, the 41-year-old striker is raring to go.

"I'm one of many in this team. I haven't been available for a long time and this has been disappointing because when you're a player, you always want to help both on and off the pitch," he said.

"Unfortunately, in these first six or seven months, I wasn't able to play. In good times and during difficult moments, you always want to be there because you are one of them. 

"For me, football is everything. It's where I feel at my peak, where the best of me comes out, and I transform into a different person. When I return, there will be a change in tone."

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has provided Milan with a major lift ahead of the derby against Inter, returning to first-team training and sharing pearls of wisdom with his Rossoneri team-mates.

Sunday's San Siro battle comes too soon for Ibrahimovic to make an impact on the pitch, but the 41-year-old striker is back in the fold, close to returning from the knee surgery he underwent last May.

It was envisaged he would be absent for around eight months, and Milan have given the veteran all the time he needs.

Head coach Stefano Pioli believes having Ibrahimovic around the squad can only be a positive as last season's Serie A champions bid to recover from a drastic dip in form.

Milan have lost three games in a row, including a Supercoppa Italiana final 3-0 thumping by Inter, and are without a win in their last six.

Discussing the return of the charismatic Ibrahimovic, who is a former Inter player, Pioli said on Saturday: "He has always been fundamental for this team.

"On Friday he resumed training with us, even if to a small extent. Unfortunately, the two games against Tottenham [in the Champions League] come too soon, and right now we don't know when he will be at 100 per cent.

"I hope with all my heart he can come back soon, especially for what he's doing. Few people would do what he's doing to come back from such a difficult and complicated injury.

"Has he talked to his team-mates? I think so, he knows how to strike the right chords."

Pioli's team have slipped 15 points behind leaders Napoli and entered the weekend in fifth place, albeit only two points behind second-placed Inter, so there is all to play for at San Siro.

"It will be a great opportunity for us and we must do everything to seize it," Pioli said. "Inter come into the match in excellent form, but we have a great desire to start again."

Since the Supercoppa loss on January 18, Milan have been beaten 4-0 at Lazio and 5-2 at home by lowly Sassuolo, putting their top-four prospects in unexpected mid-season peril.

Inter will fancy piling on more misery, but Pioli said: "We have not lost the spirit that has always distinguished us. We must go back to showing it."

Milan are determined to get back into the top four and ink themselves in for another Champions League campaign, but Pioli said: "It shouldn't be taken for granted.

"We have to win many games from here until the end to get as high as possible."

Zlatan Ibrahimovic believes Kylian Mbappe should be confident of winning another World Cup but does not expect Argentina to do likewise after their disrespectful title celebrations.

Mbappe's France lost on penalties to Argentina in December's Qatar 2022 final despite their talisman scoring a hat-trick.

Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Lionel Messi instead added the final major medal he was waiting for to his collection.

Despite Mbappe matching Messi almost stride for stride, he was the subject of taunts from the Argentina players both immediately after the game and in their celebrations back home.

PSG great Ibrahimovic criticised the Albiceleste's lack of class and suggested it was "a sign" they will not repeat their win.

"I said Argentina will for sure win the World Cup, because if you want to remember the Qatar World Cup for the rest of history, who needs to win? Messi," he told France Inter.

"Messi is considered the best player in history. If you want to remember the Qatar World Cup, Messi needs to win. I was 100 per cent sure he would win.

"But I felt sorry for Mbappe, because if you score three goals in a final and don't win the World Cup, that is very sad.

"What will happen? He will win another World Cup, and he already won one, so I'm not worried about Mbappe. I'm worried about the other players in Argentina, because they will not win anything more.

"Messi has won everything and he will be remembered, but the rest, who behaved badly, that you cannot respect. That's coming from me as a professional football player at a high level.

"That is a sign you will win one time and you will not win any more. Mbappe will win again."

Stefano Pioli wants Milan to "shut up and work" after they lost more ground in the Serie A title race with a 4-0 thumping at the hands of Lazio on Tuesday.

The Rossoneri lost for the first time in seven league matches with goals from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Mattia Zaccagni giving Maurizio Sarri's side the advantage heading into the break.

Luis Alberto then added a third with a well-taken penalty before Felipe Anderson rounded off the scoring as Milan failed to win for a fifth straight game in all competitions.

With Pioli's men remaining 12 points behind Napoli, the Milan head coach believes it is time for less talk and more action from the reigning champions.

"Right now there are many things that are not working, mental and tactical aspects," Pioli told DAZN. "I'm here to talk because I have to, we should shut up and work. I too will try to talk less and work more.

"We have to get back to Milanello [Milan's training ground] quickly to work and work well, we're not playing according to our possibilities.

"Things aren't going well for us, that's for sure. In 20 days we haven't brought home any good performances or results."

With Milan now having conceded eight goals in their past three league matches, as many as in their nine previous Serie A games, Pioli knows his team will have to find a defensive fix, and quick, if they are to somehow claw back Napoli and retain the title.

"The problem right now isn't too much with the ball," Pioli explained. "But without the ball there's no cover and we leave too many spaces.

"We just have to work. The team needs to be more compact, attentive and collaborative. Continuing to make these mistakes means creating even more difficulties in the match.

"We have to go back to playing as we know how and do it as soon as possible. In the last two weeks the performances have not been what we expected and could have done."

Milan's search for a return to form could soon be boosted by the return of veteran striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has missed all of this season with a knee injury but posted a video earlier on Tuesday of him kicking a ball at the club's training ground.

Pioli refused to point to Ibrahimovic's long absence for his team's shortcomings this season, adding: "It's too easy now [to blame Ibrahimovic's injury]. We don't want to have any excuses or justifications.

"I realise that it's a delicate moment for the boys. They will have my support. They will certainly want to be competitive again soon."

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is stepping up his Milan comeback after filming himself with the ball at his feet at the club's Milanello training ground.

The 41-year-old signed a one-year contract last July but has been sidelined ever since while recovering from knee surgery.

Ibrahimovic, who has scored 33 goals in 60 league appearances in his second spell with the Rossoneri, was a Serie A title winner last season.

Given his age, the end of his career is likely not far away. That is despite the former Barcelona and Manchester United player saying in September: "If I see a player stronger than me, I'll stop. But I haven't seen him yet."

Ibrahimovic's video shows him taking small steps with the ball at his feet, before pausing at the end of the penalty area and turning the camera to point at the goal. It then shows him smiling into the camera and raising his eyebrows, as though to signal his eagerness to get back into scoring action.

Milan, who are 12 points behind league leaders Napoli, have Champions League last-16 games against Tottenham coming up on February 14 and March 8, plus a Serie A derby with Inter on February 5.

Cristiano Ronaldo must accept "he is not 25 years old" anymore and follow the examples of veterans Ryan Giggs, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paolo Maldini.

That was the message from Manchester United great Eric Cantona, who referenced the leading role Ibrahimovic has played at Milan despite his status diminishing to a squad role.

Ronaldo parted ways with United in an acrimonious exit after stating he felt "betrayed" by the club and had little respect for Red Devils head coach Erik ten Hag and former interim boss Ralf Rangnick.

The Portugal forward started just 10 of United's 21 matches prior to his departure, though Cantona suggested the 37-year-old should have handled the situation in a different manner.

Ibrahimovic played through injury as Milan ended an 11-year wait for the Scudetto last term, scoring eight goals in 23 Serie A games to support Stefano Pioli's regular starters Olivier Giroud and Rafael Leao.

Cantona told CalcioMercato: "There are two types of veterans: those who want to play every game because they still think they're 25 and those who realise they're not 25 and are here to help young players, they know they won't play every game, but they're aware that they'll have their moment.

"There are players who help new players: Ibrahimovic still does it with Milan, Ryan Giggs or Maldini himself when he was at Milan. 

"Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't realise he's not 25 years old. He's already older and doesn't know that, instead of being unhappy about not having played all the time, he should accept the situation."

Ronaldo could make his debut for Al Nassr against Ettifaq next Sunday after missing clashes with Al Tai and Al Shabab due to a two-match ban from the English Football Association.

As well as bringing an end to a long-running transfer saga, Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Al Nassr likely brings the curtain down on one of the greatest careers in elite European football history.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner will unquestionably become the highest-profile player to feature in the Saudi Pro League when he makes his debut, but he is by no means the first to make a move of that nature.

A tradition of elite players spending the twilight of their careers in an unfamiliar league – whether for one last payday or to raise the profile of the competition – is long-running.

Here, Stats Perform looks at how a series of other superstars fared after making comparable moves, including all-time greats Pele and Johan Cruyff, and a legendary Spanish midfield duo.
 

Pele (New York Cosmos)

When Pele joined the North American Soccer League (NASL)'s New York Cosmos in 1975, the Brazilian had already cemented his place among the very greatest to play the game by winning three World Cups – the first as a teenager and the last as part of one of the all-time great Selecao teams.

Despite his advancing years, Pele's class remained on display in the United States, where he scored 37 goals and registered 30 assists in three years with the Cosmos, who won the NASL's Soccer Bowl in 1977. 

Franz Beckenbauer (New York Cosmos)

Having signed one World Cup legend in Pele, the Cosmos repeated the trick in 1977 with the acquisition of Beckenbauer, who played four seasons for the club either side of a brief return to Germany with Hamburg.

The Bayern Munich great can certainly count his time in the NASL as a success, winning three Soccer Bowls – the latter two without Pele.

Johan Cruyff (Los Angeles Aztecs and Washington Diplomats)

As another highly decorated player moving to the NASL in the late 1970s, Cruyff represented both the Los Angeles Aztecs and the Washington Diplomats following his brief retirement in 1978.

The Dutch innovator complained of playing on artificial surfaces in the United States before bucking the trend of most players on this list – Cruyff returned to Europe in the twilight of his career, leading Ajax to two further Eredivisie titles as well as winning the division with their rivals Feyenoord. 

Samuel Eto'o (Anzhi Makhachkala)

While every transfer on this list was left-field, few created as much shock as Samuel Eto'o's 2011 move from Inter to big-spending Russian outfit Anzhi Makhachkala. 

Eto'o reportedly became the world's best-paid player with his move to Anzhi, for whom he scored 25 league goals before billionaire owner Suleyman Kerimov scaled back ambitions at the now-defunct club, leading the striker to head to Chelsea.

David Beckham (LA Galaxy)

The NASL established the tradition of footballing luminaries arriving in the United States, but Beckham's 2007 move to LA Galaxy helped Major League Soccer break new ground.

Beckham won two MLS Cups and two Supporters' Shields with the Galaxy, but the wider impact of his move – which inspired several other big names to head stateside and led the former England captain to found Inter Miami – was huge. 

Xavi (Al Sadd)

Xavi called time on his playing career with Barcelona as a Champions League winner in 2015, opting to spend four years representing Qatar Stars League side Al Sadd before cutting his managerial teeth at the same club.

The 2010 World Cup winner won the Qatari top-flight once as a player and once as a coach before returning to Camp Nou last year, having both played and managed over 100 games with Al Sadd. 

Andres Iniesta (Vissel Kobe)

The second of Barca's pass masters left the European game in 2018, when Iniesta joined J1 league side Vissel Kobe in a shock move.

Considering he still captains the side at the age of 38, Iniesta must have enjoyed his time in Japan, where he has since been joined by compatriots Bojan Krkic and Sergi Samper.

James Rodriguez (Al Rayyan)

Whenever the World Cup rolls around, the idea of breakout stars is discussed. Few players have been more deserving of that tag than Colombia's Rodriguez, who top-scored at the 2014 edition.

Having enjoyed title successes with European heavyweights Real Madrid and Bayern Munich and enjoyed a – rather less successful – spell at Everton, Rodriguez is now plying his trade with Al Rayyan, who are languishing in eighth place in the Qatar Stars League.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic (LA Galaxy)

Most of the players named on this list enjoyed some form of success – whether it be on or off the pitch – after making their surprise moves, but few can match the feats of Ibrahimovic.

Ibrahimovic was – like Ronaldo – 37 when he left Manchester United in 2018, scoring 53 MLS goals for the Galaxy in two hugely successful seasons before returning to Europe to help Milan win the Scudetto earlier this year.

While Ronaldo now looks unlikely to return to the pinnacle of European football, if Ibrahimovic can do it, few would bet against the Portugal great doing likewise. 

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has urged his Milan team-mate Rafael Leao to reject interest from other clubs and stay at San Siro in order to realise his "scary" potential.

Leao played a key role as Milan ended an 11-year wait to win the Scudetto last term, while no other Rossoneri player can match his tallies of six goals and four assists in Serie A this season.

The winger, who scored in Portugal's World Cup wins against Ghana and Switzerland, has been linked with the likes of Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool in recent months.

However, Ibrahimovic insists Milan is the best place for Leao to develop, highlighting the strides he has made since breaking into Stefano Pioli's team.  

"Of course, Milan is the right environment for him," Ibrahimovic told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "Just look at his growth, when he arrived, he was far from the decisive player he is today. 

"Here he is very important for us. Elsewhere, would he be as important? He would have to start from scratch, you can't be sure he would be ready right away.

"At Milan he has confidence, space and freedom, which is not a given at another club, it's up to you. 

"Besides, you can see that he is happy here, by now he is laughing even before scoring. He is the young man who has grown the most."

Several young players came to the fore as Milan edged out rivals Inter to win Serie A and Ibrahimovic believes Leao is the most exciting talent of all.

"Theo [Hernandez] has improved so much, [Charles] De Ketelaere is strong, and patience is needed. But Leao is on another level, above average," he added.

"He lacks a step, he will only do it when he is fully convinced of his abilities. Today, even he doesn't really know how strong he is. Then he will be really scary, and the price will go up."

Milan resume their Serie A campaign with a trip to Salernitana on January 4, having entered the World Cup break eight points adrift of leaders Napoli.