LA Galaxy striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic sends warning to FIFA about stopping him from going to the World Cup in Russia if he decides to come out of international retirement.
The 36-year-old former Manchester United centre-forward has is currently mulling a return to his national team and possibly adding to his 116 caps and 62 goals at what would be his third World Cup in Russia this summer.
Doubts were cast over the possibility of the new LA Galaxy striker being in Russia as FIFA would not allow him to continue his partnership with a gambling company.
“FIFA can’t stop me. If I want to be there, I’ll be there,” Ibrahimovic told Eurosport.
“Just as with the national team, if I want to play, I’ll play.
“This is not a question for FIFA, it’s a question for me and what I want.”
“The door is open, and not closed,” he said.
“If everything feels as it should and I feel that I can do the things I am capable of and want to do, as I’ve always done them, then we can talk about it.
“But that’s not where we are at right now. We’re in a position where I’m just happy that I can play.”
“Now I want to play football, so let’s play football. And when we play football we will see if we can play football in the World Cup.”
Ibrahimovic suffered a serious knee injury at Manchester United and struggled before moving to Major League Soccer, where he scored a brace in a Los Angeles derby on his debut,