Ibrahimovic returns to Sweden at the age of 41

Today, Sweden coach Yanni Andersson called up veteran Italian Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, at the age of forty-one, to the ranks of the team invited to play two matches against Belgium and Azerbaijan in the qualifiers for the 2024 European Cup. Zlatan returns to the national team after a nine-month absence due to a knee injury, knowing that his country missed the last finals of the World Cup in Qatar.

Anderson said in a statement: "Zlatan has made three appearances as a substitute for Milan and feels in good physical shape despite being away from the pitch for a long time.
"From that point of view, I think he can contribute not only on the pitch but also off it." If Ibrahimovic is able to play a few minutes during his country's next two matches, he will break the record of the oldest player to play a match in the European qualifiers, which is recorded by the famous Italian goalkeeper Dino Zoff, captain of his country, the world champion in 1982, according to the site "Transfer Market".

If Sweden reach next year's finals in Germany, Ibrahimovic can break another record, becoming the oldest player to play in continental finals, which is currently held by Hungary's goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly at the age of forty.

Ibrahimovic, who has 62 goals in 121 caps, said last year he wanted to continue playing "as long as I can", saying the idea of retiring "terrifies him". Sweden play in Group F, which also includes Estonia and Austria, with the champions and runners-up of each group qualifying directly for the finals.