Paris Saint-Germain star Zlatan Ibrahimovic has never been backwards in coming forwards, and the Sweden international claimed on 12 November that he had put France on the world footballing map. Two days before Sweden play Denmark in the first leg of their Euro 2016 play-off, Ibrahimovic was asked at a news conference in Stockholm if he would like to play at Euro 2016 in France – and also whether, at 34, he was now past his best.

"I would love to play at the European [Championship] in France," Ibrahimovic told reporters. "Absolutely. I have played now in France, this is my fourth season and I had a fantastic time. I will have great memories when I leave France and I put Sweden on the map in the world and I put now also France on the map in the world too so I'm very happy for that.

"I'm less strong now? I have 10 games in the competition, 11 games, I have nine goals, five assists – I have better statistics than before so if I'm old and getting weak and doing what I do, imagine if I was good and young what I would do then. But what I'm doing is enough, so if I can be old and weak, still I can play, so I will be more than happy then to continue."

Sweden's all-time record scorer has never scored against the Danes. The second leg is in Copenhagen on Tuesday (17 November).

More about European football
France