Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been included by national coach Janne Andersson in Sweden’s final selection for the European Championship qualifiers against Belgium and Azerbaijan. The 41-year-old striker of AC Milan only played 68 minutes this season due to a serious knee injury he sustained in May last year, but will immediately return to the selection of Sweden.
Ibrahimovic’s last international match dates back to March last year, when he came on ten minutes before the end in the lost World Cup qualifier against Poland (2-0). More than two months later, disaster struck in the away game with Sassuolo (0-3) when he was seriously injured in his knee. After a tough and long rehabilitation, the Swede made his comeback for Milan in the home game against Atalanta (2-0) over three weeks ago. In the subsequent duels with Fiorentina (2-1 loss) and Salernitana (1-1), he came on for more than half an hour.
Andersson, the national coach of Sweden, is happy to welcome Ibrahimovic back. “Zlatan and I have always kept in touch during his rehabilitation. Now he feels well enough to contribute on the pitch. His personality and experience add a lot to our selection. Zlatan is unique,” said the coach. The Swedes will take on Belgium and Azerbaijan respectively on March 24 and 27 in the European Championship qualifying series. Estonia and Austria complete Group F.
Ibrahimovic, who has played 121 international matches for Sweden so far, scoring 62 goals, announced his retirement as an international after the disappointing European Championship in 2016. However, he later came back to that. The former Ajax player was active with his country at the World Cup in 2002 and 2006 and at the European Championships in 2004, 2008, 2012 and thus 2016. Jesper Karlsson and Alexander Isak, who has a past at Willem II, are also included in the final selection of Sweden.
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