Zlatan casts doubt on future after Euro cup
Sweden's striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has confirmed he will play the Euro 2016 for Sweden – but added his future is uncertain after his contract with Paris Saint-Germain runs out in June.
In a interview on Thursday, Ibrahimovic hinted that next summer's European Championships would be his last international tournament and insisted he did not know where he would be playing next season.
The 34-year-old's contract with Paris side PSG, which he helped into the quarter-finals of the French League Cup on Wednesday, runs out next summer and he has not yet been confirmed for another club.
"In my thoughts now I don't have any destination," he said. "This is a new situation for me," he told the AFP news agency.
"Normally, I have a contract for years and then change club but this is something different. My contract ends and then you are free to do whatever you want, so something totally new for me."
Asked if he would extend his international career beyond next summer, Ibrahimovic said: "When it comes to the national team, I have the Europeans. I am happy we have reached the European Championships and I will be playing and I will enjoy it."
"What happens after, I don't know. If I will be playing the qualification for Russia, I don't know. That is too far, too soon to answer."
READ ALSO: Five Swedish stars who aren't Zlatan
Last month, the ever-confident Swede suggested he would not hang up his football shoes once his contract with PSG expires at the end of the 2015-16 season.
“As long as I'm playing at this level, I will continue. I will not continue to play just because of my name and I will only stay a player as long as I maintain my level,” he said at the time.
Sweden has been drawn in a tough group for France in June next year, comprised of Italy, Belgium and the Republic of Ireland.
Its first game will be against Ireland on June 13th in Saint-Denis, then Italy in Toulouse on June 17th and finally Belgium in Nice on June 22nd.
The top two teams from each group qualify for the knock-out stages of the competition.
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In a interview on Thursday, Ibrahimovic hinted that next summer's European Championships would be his last international tournament and insisted he did not know where he would be playing next season.
The 34-year-old's contract with Paris side PSG, which he helped into the quarter-finals of the French League Cup on Wednesday, runs out next summer and he has not yet been confirmed for another club.
"In my thoughts now I don't have any destination," he said. "This is a new situation for me," he told the AFP news agency.
"Normally, I have a contract for years and then change club but this is something different. My contract ends and then you are free to do whatever you want, so something totally new for me."
Asked if he would extend his international career beyond next summer, Ibrahimovic said: "When it comes to the national team, I have the Europeans. I am happy we have reached the European Championships and I will be playing and I will enjoy it."
"What happens after, I don't know. If I will be playing the qualification for Russia, I don't know. That is too far, too soon to answer."
READ ALSO: Five Swedish stars who aren't Zlatan
Last month, the ever-confident Swede suggested he would not hang up his football shoes once his contract with PSG expires at the end of the 2015-16 season.
“As long as I'm playing at this level, I will continue. I will not continue to play just because of my name and I will only stay a player as long as I maintain my level,” he said at the time.
Sweden has been drawn in a tough group for France in June next year, comprised of Italy, Belgium and the Republic of Ireland.
Its first game will be against Ireland on June 13th in Saint-Denis, then Italy in Toulouse on June 17th and finally Belgium in Nice on June 22nd.
The top two teams from each group qualify for the knock-out stages of the competition.
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