Is Ibrahimovic seriously thinking about retiring?

Thumbnail Photograph: Ciro de Luca/Reuters

“I’ll play until I see that someone is better than me, so I’m still playing.”

With his usual, prominent self-confidence, Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 40, shared some thoughts about his future in an interview with UEFA.com.

“The future is yet to be written. I don’t plan. Let’s see what happens.”

Ibra’s deal with Milan ends this summer, but the issue of whether his contract with the Rossoneri will be extended for at least another season is still unclear.

What has been clear so far, instead, is that despite his age Ibrahimovic is still a decisive player, capable of shifting the balance in favor of his teammates just by simply being present on the field.

Photograph Credits: Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images

In the last season, he played a crucial role in Milan’s qualification for the Champions League.

“Everybody was super excited and super happy to be back,” he declared.

“I got the opportunity to play against the best teams and players in Europe.

Milan has been eliminated from the Champions League in the group stages.

The hopes for a final win were hugely remote.

However, many journalists insist on the echoes that the lack of this prestigious trophy in Ibra’s collection might create when he finally hangs up his boots.

“To win it would be amazing. To not win it would not change me as a player. If I win it, it doesn't mean that I'd be a better player because I am the best player. This has been proven; the best player doesn't win everything."

Hunger for further successes doesn’t seem to be a problem, then.

Photograph Credit: A.C. Milan

However, as reported by the Italian newspaper, La Gazzetta dello Sport, following the burning elimination of his national team, Sweden, from the next edition of the World Cup, might make these firm convictions vacillate and made him opt for a managerial role with Milan.

With Tuesday’s 2-0 defeat against Poland, Ibra and his teammates missed what was considered a massive target.

Still struggling with an Achilles tendon inflammation, Ibrahimovic played just ten minutes, but his delusion at the end of the match was evident.

The following months will be decisive to find out the decisions of one of the most influential players of the last years.