Zlatan Ibrahimovic on Denmark: ‘I sent their entire country into retirement’
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Updated 18/11/2015 at 09:31 GMT
Zlatan Ibrahimovic was typically bullish after scoring twice to help Sweden qualify for Euro 2016 at the expense of Denmark, declaring that he “sent their entire country into retirement”.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates inspiring Sweden past Denmark to qualify for Euro 2016
Image credit: AFP
It had been widely speculated that if Sweden did not qualify for the tournament in France, Ibrahimovic would retire from international football; but he hit back at those suggestions in his own inimitable fashion.
There was the thought that this would send me into retirement. I sent their entire country into retirement," he told Sweden's Kanal 5.
"All of the chat before, and we took ourselves to the play-offs. Many were disappointed with that, but we still had a chance.
"We got Denmark, everything was against us. We hadn't won [against them], I hadn't scored a goal, but we stayed patient.
"We knew what we wanted: the people who wanted to go to the European Championships most would get there, and that was us."
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Sweden's forward and captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic (L) celebrates after scoring a goal during the Euro 2016 second leg play-off football match against Denmark at Parken stadium in Copenhagen
Image credit: AFP
The 34-year-old went on to add that he intends to bow out in style on the international stage next summer.
"It's destiny that I get the chance to finish at the European Championships," he said.
"A lot of people complain that I'm old and weak, but it doesn't look like that."
Sweden overcame Denmark 4-3 on aggregate over the two legs after closing out a tense 2-2 draw at Parken Stadium in Copenhagen with Ibrahimovic’s brace proving vital.
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