(Solna) Sweden star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic said on Tuesday he still hopes to play the Euros in Germany next year, which would make him, at 42, the oldest player to take part in the tournament .
“If I feel good and I am chosen by the coach, I will help him, the team and the country, and I will do my best,” he said at a press conference. .
“At my age, you can’t think ‘future’ but you think ‘present’, even though I am past, present and future,” said the 41-year-old Swedish giant (1.95m), known for his megalomaniac pronouncements.
The striker will become the oldest player to play a qualifying match for the European Championship, and will break the record set by the Italian Dino Zoff, if he enters the field in the next two games of his selection, Friday ( 8:45 p.m.) against Belgium or Monday (8:45 p.m.) against Azerbaijan.
The Swedish star, back with AC Milan after a long absence, has already become the oldest player to score in Serie A this weekend.
While happy with the record, Ibrahimovic said he wants to continue “being compared to everyone else”, not just for his age, which is unusually advanced for a professional player at the highest level.
“I’m not here out of charity. I’m here to play my match and bring results through my performance. And I hope I can continue to do so, “assured the Swedish giant, born on October 3, 1981.
If he plays the German Euro (June 14-July 14) after failing to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar at the end of 2022, the Malmö native will set a new longevity record, currently held by Hungarian goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly, who has played Euro 2016 after having blown out its 40 candles.
Sweden, Belgium and Azerbaijan face off in Group F, which also feature Austria and Estonia in the qualifiers. The first two places qualify.
