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Zlatan Ibrahimovic was a lanky youngster at Ajax but is now doing crazy gym workouts and boasts stunning physique at 40 years old thanks to his strict diet and taekwondo

Sophia Sparks |

As the old saying goes, age is just a number.

This saying applies to nobody more than Zlatan Ibrahimovic who, at 40 years young, shows no sign of slowing up.

Ibra's body has experienced a stunning evolution over the last two decades and he's still fighting fit

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Ibra's body has experienced a stunning evolution over the last two decades and he's still fighting fit

The Milan striker has been wowing fans lately, showing off his stunning core workouts in the gym.

Ibrahimovic has always been an imposing presence but his body has undergone a huge evolution since first bursting onto the scene at Malmo and then Ajax.

He's been playing so long he scored his first senior goal in 1999 and has found the back of the net in every decade since.

talkSPORT.com takes a look down memory lane to look at the way Ibrahimovic's body has evolved over time.

Ibrahimovic joined Juventus from Ajax in 2004 and still cut a slightly lanky figure but it is here where his strict diet began

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Ibrahimovic joined Juventus from Ajax in 2004 and still cut a slightly lanky figure but it is here where his strict diet began
His role changed when he went to Barcelona in 2009 and so did his physique

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His role changed when he went to Barcelona in 2009 and so did his physique
White meat and fresh vegetables are a staple of his diet but you can forget about ice cream and Italian pasta - oh, mamma mia!

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White meat and fresh vegetables are a staple of his diet but you can forget about ice cream and Italian pasta - oh, mamma mia!Credit: IG: @iamzlatanibrahimovic

"I think I'm like wine. The older I get, the better I get."

Ibrahimovic was being typically modest but then again, he's one of a few footballers to score more than 500 career goals.

Diet is a big part of his regime and he has adapted his workouts, too.

How else can a man keep recording such high numbers?

"You're talking about fruit and vegetables and only white meat," Spanish journalist Guillem Balague told the BBC in 2021. "Pizzas are reward, no sugar. He does a little bit of taekwondo too."

The martial art is to improve the elasticity of his muscles rather than add muscles to his already toned physique.

A return to Italy two years later saw a return of Ibra's bulk

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A return to Italy two years later saw a return of Ibra's bulk
At Paris Saint-Germain, where he was arguably at his peak football ability, he found a nice medium between lean and bulky having adapted himself to be more physical

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At Paris Saint-Germain, where he was arguably at his peak football ability, he found a nice medium between lean and bulky having adapted himself to be more physical
He has a personal chef and ensures food is meticulously weighed out so he gets the right amount - not too much and not too little

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He has a personal chef and ensures food is meticulously weighed out so he gets the right amount - not too much and not too littleCredit: IG: @iamzlatanibrahimovic
Taekwondo improves his movement - important for someone his age - rather than weight sessions in the gym

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Taekwondo improves his movement - important for someone his age - rather than weight sessions in the gymCredit: IG: @iamzlatanibrahimovic
'King and Kong' is what he described this photo as

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'King and Kong' is what he described this photo asCredit: IG: @iamzlatanibrahimovic
That does not look like someone who is ready to hang up his boots

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That does not look like someone who is ready to hang up his bootsCredit: IG: @iamzlatanibrahimovic

At the end of 2013, Ibrahimovic got on Instagram and documented the state of his physique regularly.

Like Cristiano Ronaldo, he is very meticulous when it comes to food.

GQItalia say Ibrahimovic has every single food item he eats weighed on a scale, with everything measured to the exact gram.

One story from his time at PSG involves a dispute between him and the club's chef about the absence of fresh fruit and vegetables at the training ground. According to GQ, the chef explained the Ligue 1 side could not afford it due to the tight nutrition budget at the club.

This didn't sit well with the record-breaking striker and the chef then ordered his assistants to collect fruit and vegetables from the local food market near the training ground.

It's clear he's done a fine job keeping himself in great nick considering the fact he will be 41 in October.

Read More on talkSPORT

When he returned to Milan in January 2020, he told people if he had been there from the start of the season the club would have won the league.

And he's probably right.

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