I will keep playing as long as I can, admits Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Zlatan Ibrahimovic returned on a free transfer to AC Milan for his second spell with the Italian club in December 2019. The Swedish striker has made 56 appearances for the Rossoneri since returning to familiar surroundings in Italy while scoring 33 goals and registering 10 assists across all competitions. The resurgent Swede continues to inspire a new generation of Milan stars as they aim to retake their position at the top of European football.

Questions were asked of Ibrahimovic’s abilities at his age and how his presence might stifle the young squad that Milan possesses but the talismanic presence of the Swede has proved to be vital for the Serie A side. The 40-year-old striker scored a brace against Fiorentina on Saturday and set up a third goal for the Italian giants but was unable to guide them to victory as they lost 4-3. Milan are second in the table behind Napoli on goal difference and the Swede admitted that he is motivated in achieving objectives that he set for himself.

“It’s not easy. Every day I wake up, I have pain everywhere. This morning I had pain everywhere but as long as I have objectives, as long as I have adrenaline, I keep going. I know I’m coming to something good. I’m coming to somewhere I need to work to keep myself at the top,” Ibrahimovic told the Guardian.

“I will keep doing it as long as I can. I don’t want to have that regret if I stop and then, in a couple of years, I’m sitting with you and saying: ‘I could have continued because I was feeling good.’ It’s better to be totally finished and say: ‘I cannot do it any more.’ But I can still do it and I am doing it,” he added.