Ibrahimovic returns to Sweden squad with no guarantee of playing time

AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic returns to the Sweden squad after a one-year absence for their European Championship qualifiers later this month, Sweden coach Janne Andersson announced on Wednesday (Mar 15).

The 41-year-old will beat Italian goalkeeper Dino Zoff's Euro qualifier milestone of 40 years and 90 days set in 1983 if he features in games against Belgium on Mar 24 or Azerbaijan on Mar 27.

He played his last match for the national team in 2022 against Poland in the World Cup qualification playoff loss, but has since struggled with a long-term anterior cruciate ligament injury that kept him on the sidelines.

Ibrahimovic quit international football after Euro 2016 but made his return in 2021 for their unsuccessful World Cup qualifiers.

"I don't see him as a starter. It will be more like it has been in Milan that there are substitution possibilities," Andersson said to reporters when asked about how much Ibrahimovic will play.

He has played just three game for Milan this season.

Ibrahimovic is Sweden's all-time top scorer, with 62 goals in 121 matches.

Should Sweden make it all the way to next year's competition in Germany, Ibrahimovic could also beat the record set by Hungary's Gabor Kiraly, who played in the 2016 edition aged 40.

After Sweden failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, Zlatan said last year that he will "continue as long as I can", and he has said he is "panicking" at the prospect of retiring.

Sweden, Belgium and Azerbaijan are in qualifying group F, together with Estonia and Austria. The top two will progress to the finals.