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Zlatan Ibrahimović will not take part in the 2021 European Championship
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www.imagephotoagency.it / imago images / Gribaudi / ImagePhoto
Swedish star striker Zlatan Ibrahimović will miss the European Football Championship this year due to an injury.
The Swedish football association Svensk Fotboll announced this on Twitter.
The 39-year-old from the Italian first division club AC Milan had informed national coach Janne Andersson that he had to cancel due to a knee injury, it said.
“Of course it's sad, especially for Zlatan, but also for us.
I hope he's back on the field as soon as possible, ”said Andersson, according to the Swedish news agency TT.
Ibrahimovic's failure is a major setback for the Swedish team.
After a five-year hiatus, Sweden's twelve-time footballer of the year only returned to the national team last March.
The 39-year-old had announced his comeback in the usual manner as the »return of God«, while Ibrahimovic directly prepared the Swedish winning goal in the World Cup qualifier against Georgia.
The eagerly awaited striker duel with world footballer Robert Lewandowski is canceled after Ibrahimović's cancellation: At the European Championship, the Swedes are in a group with Spain, Lewandowski's Poland and Slovakia.
It is still open whether Ibrahimović can participate in the 2022 World Cup in the event of a Swedish qualification.
Most recently, however, the Swede had extended his contract with AC Milan until June 2022, and Ibrahimović had made another tournament participation dependent on his physical condition.
cev / dpa