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Zlatan Ibrahimovic retirement: PSG striker hints career could be over in two-years' time

The Sweden international will be 34 when his current contract expires

Agency
Thursday 14 August 2014 10:46 BST
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Paris Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovich has donated £30,000 to help the Swedish learning difficulties national team compete in the INAS World Championships in Brazil.
Paris Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovich has donated £30,000 to help the Swedish learning difficulties national team compete in the INAS World Championships in Brazil. (Getty Images)

Zlatan Ibrahimovic expects to finish his career after his contract at Paris St Germain ends in two years' time.

The Sweden striker is in his third season with the capital club and is under contract for a fourth, after which he feels the time may be right for him to take his leave of the world stage.

Asked if he will finish his career with the club, Ibrahimovic told ESPN: "I have a contract until 2016.

"I will be 34 next season and I don't see myself continuing to play at the top level after that. So probably the answer is yes."

That summer will see France host the European Championship, where Ibrahimovic is likely to remain his country's talisman.

He also retains ambitions of continental success at club level, having won league titles in four countries but never the Champions League.

PSG's superstar squad has been bolstered further this summer with the acquisitions of defenders David Luiz - a Champions League winner with Chelsea - and Serge Aurier and Ibrahimovic expects them to take the step up before he eventually retires.

"I think we can win it," he said. "We have a good opportunity.

"This team is made to play in good tournaments. You need to work hard and to have a bit of luck with you. In the key moments, you need to have the small details on your side.

"I think we have that in our team now. We have more experience too, especially after last season. So we can do it.

"I have achieved what I wanted in my career, 100 per cent. I have won 23 titles. Of course, it would be nice to win the Champions League, and I feel I can and will win it.

"But if my career finishes without it, I would still be happy and proud."

Ibrahimovic has been the foremost symbol of PSG's resurgence under their big-spending Qatari owners, topping the Ligue 1 scoring charts for the past two seasons.

And he said: "It is very special. I was here from the beginning. I wanted to join PSG for the project that I believed in at the time and still believe in.

"I knew it would be a great choice, and so far it has gone exactly like I expected to be. I am very happy and proud.

"I think that to reach the next step, I have to do better than last year. I have reached the level I am at now because I have always wanted to be better than the season before."

PA

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