“I’m like Benjamin Button: I was born old, but I’m going to die young”. Two months ago, Zlatan Ibrahimovic joked about his return to the forefront with AC Milan. Words have not aged a bit, it’s even the opposite.
The stainless 39-year-old scorer – including 21 at the top level – met Sweden coach Janne Andersson on Wednesday to discuss a possible return to the national team a few months before the Euro.
“When he opened the door to (re) play in the selection, I felt it was natural and important to meet him to talk about it as soon as possible,” said Andersson, quoted in a statement. “Our meeting was good and fruitful, we agreed to continue the dialogue,” continued the coach after his meeting with Ibrahimovic, who has not worn the jersey of Sweden since Euro-2016.
“Yes, I miss the selection”, he confessed on Wednesday
“Ibra”, 39, had confessed earlier this week in the Swedish press that he was “missing” wearing the famous yellow jersey of the Swedish selection. “If you ask me, I’ll be honest: yes, I miss the selection. It’s no secret, ”the Milan striker explained in an interview with the Aftonbladet daily.
“The one who doesn’t miss it, he’s already finished his career. And I have not finished my career, ”said the one who occupies the first place in the ranking of the scorers of the Italian Serie A with ten goals.
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Ibrahimovic has scored 62 goals in 116 caps. But he has not yet made it clear that he would answer the call if Janne Andersson, whom he has criticized a lot in the past, finally decides to summon him: “Give me some time, I have to think about it. “, He pleaded. At the beginning of September, Zlatan had qualified the coach, Janne Andersson, incompetent for not having started Dejan Kulusevski, the great Swedish hope, 20, against France (0-1).
Quarter-finalist in 2018 without Zlatan
Without the former PSG scorer, notably through Ajax, FC Barcelona, Juventus and Los Angeles Galaxy, Sweden has had four years of good quality.
After reaching the quarters of the World-2018, the selection qualified directly for Euro-2020, postponed to the summer of 2021 because of Covid-19. She will face Spain, Poland and Slovakia in the group stage in the first round. Zlatan Ibrahimovic has never managed to cross the hens in the final phase of a Euro (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016) or a World Cup (2002, 2006).
Be careful, however, Sweden is coming out of a bad campaign in the League of Nations (1 victory and 5 losses), sanctioned by relegation to League B.
