AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has not played in his national team for five years, could not avoid tears when asked on Monday about his family’s reaction to returning with the Swedish selection.
“It’s not a good question. He was with Vincent (one of his children) and he started crying when I left him. But it’s all right …” he told Stockholm. Zlatan had to take a short break and wipe away the tears.
The 39-year-old Swedish star is the big news on the list to face the first two qualifying fixtures for Qatar 2022 against Georgia and Kosovo and the friendly against Estonia.
‘Ibra’ withdrew from the Swedish national team after Euro 2016, but hinted last autumn that he wanted to return and met with Swedish coach Jan “Janne” Andersson, whom he had criticized several times in the past for not including players of foreign origin.
“When I asked, they were all positive. When it comes to playing for your country, no one opposes. It’s just about giving or not,” the striker said about the reaction of his people closest to a possible return with Sweden.
As he had done a few days ago in an interview broadcast by the Swedish Federation, Ibrahimovic reiterated that he was returning for his performance at Milan, not for his name. “I’m here because I deserve it, what I did before doesn’t matter,” said the Swedish star, who has been proud and assured that he was there to “help” and not “demand” anything.
The Swedish national team’s all-time leading scorer, with 62 goals in 116 games, confessed that if he had said “no” to return, he would have regretted in a year’s time, and stressed that the important thing is “keep doing what you love as long as you can. “
Sweden, Spain’s rival in the next European Championship, is also in the team of Luis Enrique in the same qualifying group for the World Cup.