Ibrahimovic to Retire – from International Football (Don’t Worry!)

Ibrahimovic to retire from the Swedish national team after the Euro 2016 campaign is over for them, but he’s still to continue playing club football.

(Image credit: The Peoples Person)

“The last game for Sweden at the Euros will be my last game for Sweden. I hope it is not tomorrow,” the striker said on Tuesday. “And I will not participate in the Olympics, because my last game will be the last game Sweden does in this Euro. Let’s hope it goes as long as possible.”

The 34-year-old also highlighted that he doesn’t feel any “disappointment” when it comes to his duties with the international team, but feels only “pride” for his accomplishments. “To finish in a disappointment, never. Because I’m very proud to be the captain of Sweden and of what I’ve achieved. I want to take this moment and thank all the supporters because they made it possible for me to achieve what I have achieved. Without them it would not have been possible,” said Ibrahimovic.

“So wherever I go, wherever I come, I’ll always bring the Swedish flag with me and stand with it. So for me disappointment doesn’t exist, only proudness and (I’m) grateful. So thank you,” said the Swedish captain.

Ibrahimovic to retire from international duty after 15 years of service

Ibrahimovic to retire after Sweden’s Euro 2016 campaign
(Image credit: Eurosport)

Due to the striker’s parental heritage, he was eligible to play for Croatia (via his mother) or Bosnia and Herzegovina (via his father), however he opted to play for Sweden – the country he actually grew up in. In an interview with the NY Times, Ibrahimovic explained his roots and what fuelled his desire to become one of the best strikers in world football, “My father is from Bosnia, and my mother is from Croatia, but I was born in Sweden. I felt it was easier for the Swedish guys to be more successful than me. So in my head, I thought: I need to be 10 times better,” Ibrahimovic recalled.

The imposing striker first made his international debut with Sweden back in January 2001, when he played in a friendly match against the Faroe Islands that ended with a 0-0 draw. Nine months later Ibrahimovic recorded his first competitive game for Sweden in the 2002 World Cup qualifiers against Azerbaijan – a game in which he also scored his first international goal.

To date, he has racked up 115 appearances and notched a total of 62 goals for Sweden, making him the all-time leading goalscorer for the Blue-Yellow in his 15-year international career. Sweden will take on Belgium in their final group game of Euro 2016 tonight, which could see Ibrahimovic extend that record with a few more goals. Sweden are third in Group E with only 1 point, while Belgium are right above them with 3 points, so they need to win this game if they want to retain their hopes of reaching the knock-out phase of the competition.

The Blue-Yellow side are heavy underdogs 5.25 (17/4), while the Red Devils boast favourite odds for the upcoming match 1.85 (17/20), per online sportsbook Bet365. It seems that a draw 3.40 (12/5) is a more realistic goal for the Swedes, however this won’t be enough to continue their campaign in Euro 2016.

(For more info about the online sportsbook, check out Betting Herald’s Bet365 Sports Review.)