Zlatan explains why he deserves Sweden’s call-up

After getting the call-up to represent his country, Zlatan Ibrahimovic explained the reason he thinks he deserves a Sweden return.

Maybe some purists in Sweden are convinced that Zlatan Ibrahimovic is too old to return to the Sweden National Team this year. He is 39 and pushing 40 at this stage of his career. But getting so absolute and obtuse in this way of thinking might prevent them from enjoying something truly historic. We get that Zlatan is no longer the young gun he used to be, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t still playing elite football.

The man’s numbers speak for themselves this season. So far at AC Milan, Ibra already scored 16 goals in all competitions and 14 in Serie A alone. If you compare his numbers with the rest of his compatriots, there is no other Swedish player who can match his stats. Sweden needed to call Zlatan simply because there is no better player than him at the moment. This is not about nostalgia kicking in, it’s about trying to compete in any tournament Sweden will play this season.

Ibra justifies his call-up.

The upcoming international break will be a perfect test for Zlatan to see if he can still produce some great football. Today, he goes back to play for AC Milan after an injury recovery and to get some mileage on his body ahead of his expected return. When asked about the reasoning behind his decision to come back after five years, Ibra was quick to list his reasons: “I don’t want to be considered and called up for what I did before, but for what I can give now,” said Zlatan on the Swedish Football Association’s official YouTube channel.

“I can’t be the player I was five, 10, 15 or 20 yeas ago. Now, I have a completely different physique and a completely different game. But I keep a very high level. You don’t have to worry. I’m not on the squad list because my name is Zlatan and I’m Ibrahimovic. It’s because of what I add to the squad and what I have achieved. I think I deserve it.”