The news that Paris Saint-Germain and Nantes intended to stop their game in the 10th minute to salute the departing Zlatan Ibrahimovic was largely met with scoffs and shaking heads when it first emerged earlier this evening.
The Swedish icon has, for the first time in his illustrious career, netted a higher number of league goals than his age this season - all the more impressive considering he's 34, and PSG confirmed on Thursday that the striker will leave Parc Des Princes this summer.
Amidst Ibra's tweet, in which he claimed he entered PSG as a king and would be leaving a legend, there were rumours that the 10th minute of his final PSG game could spark a tribute of some description. It's what he would have expected, nay, demanded - and sure enough, both the fans and the players delivered:
The game stops momentarily to salute the legendary @Ibra_official #MerciZlatan https://t.co/cth1CFF1hz
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) May 14, 2016
A rare moment of humility from Ibrahimovic, who conspicuously appreciated the gesture.
Naturally, he opened the scoring just seven minutes later, bundling the ball past Nantes 'keeper Rémy Riou with his chest from close range. Not exactly vintage Zlatan, but a 37th league goal of the season nonetheless.
And he signed off with a second, a league record 38th for the Parisians, before walking off the pitch with his two sons, regardless of the fact that PSG had no substitutions left.
Quintessential.
For what it's worth - earlier this evening, BeIN France reported that while his future remains shrouded in mystery, Ibrahimovic was closer to a move to Manchester United than he was to LA Galaxy or MLS.
