New Delhi: There is never a dull moment when Zlatan Ibrahimovic engages with media. The Paris Saint-Germain striker on Thursday claimed that his football exploits have helped both Sweden and France "on the map".
He certainly is one of the greatest footballers of his time, and surely a legend in his native country, but claiming to put France is beyond anybody's guess.
But claiming the credits for France, always a big football nation which has produced legends like Michel Platini, Zinedine Zidane and Thierry Henry, and of course the winners of 1998 World Cup, is little too hazardous claim, even for Zlatan himself.
Ibrahamovic, preparing for Sweden's Euro 2016 play-off against Denmark on Saturday, said: "I would love to play at the European Championship in France," said Ibrahimovic. I have played there for four years. I have put Sweden on the world map and now I have put France on the world map too."
This week, the 34-year-old won Sweden's Footballer of the Year award for the tenth time in his career. With 59 international goals, he Sweden's all time leading goalscorer.
The former Barcelona and Inter Milan player also hinted that if Sweden fail to qualify for the Euro 2016, he might retire.
“If it’s over [for me] after the play-offs? We’ll see. If you’re asking me now? No. If you ask me after the play-offs? I don’t know,” the PSG star added.
Ibrahimovic also shrugged off the fact he has never scored against the Danes.
“It doesn’t mean anything,” he said. “There will be goals when there is goals. If we create chances they’ll turn up,” he said.
The return leg is in Copenhagen on Tuesday.
