ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC can play football until he’s 50 years old, claimed Mino Raiola.
And the powerful agent reckons he will need to be dragged away on a stretcher before he voluntarily hangs up his boots.
Mino Raiola reckons Zlatan Ibrahimovic can keep going at the top level for another 11 years until he turns 50Credit: AP:Associated Press
Ibrahimovic turned 39 in October but has already racked up eight goals in five Serie A games and nine in nine across all competitions – missing four matches due to coronavirus.
But Raiola reckons there is still plenty in the Sweden icon’s legs – at least another 11 years to be precise.
Speaking to Dutch news outlet volkskrant.nl, he said: “He will play football until they have to take him away on a stretcher.
“He can continue until he is 50 but only if he plays at high levels, he can continue.
“He has resurrected all of Milan, he is 90 per cent of that team.”
Milan sit top of the Serie A table after seven matches as they look to win a first Scudetto since 2010-11, when Ibra scored 14 league goals for the San Siro side.
But even after 494 goals in 817 club matches and 62 in 116 for Sweden, he is still as motivated as ever to be the best.
And it is that self-belief that has helped spur him on to new heights even into his late 30s – as well as forgetting his own age.
Caballero and Cech are the oldest players in the Premier League
Raiola added: “Sometimes while he is exercising I sit on him and he keeps doing push-ups. And you know I’m not among the lightest.
“Those years [at LA Galaxy] were a shame. He wanted to live in the United States with his family, but the mentality there is different.
“They didn’t have the same desire to win as he does. Even if he plays on the computer, Zlatan wants to win.
“He tests himself with those phrases, he is self-critical to madness. Defeat does not belong to him, it drives him crazy.
“He does not want to play well once, he must always do it. Where were PSG before his arrival? Where were Milan?
“He re-positions the level of the clubs that will then benefit from it in the years to come in the way they react to difficulties, having the strength to go on.
“He still has strength and has the ability to pass something on to the next generation, so he has to continue as long as possible.”
The Swedish superstar is closing in on 500 club career goalsCredit: AFP – Getty
The 39-year-old is showing no signs of slowing down just yetCredit: AFP or licensors
Zlatan Ibrahimovic keeps himself fit with yacht workout on Sun soaked holiday
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
