STOCKHOLM, March 30 ― Zlatan Ibrahimovic has said he will continue playing international football for "as long as possible” despite Sweden’s failure to qualify for the 2022 World Cup.

The 40-year-old came on as a substitute for the final 10 minutes in Sweden’s 2-0 play-off loss to Poland in Chorzow yesterday.

Ibrahimovic has endured an injury-hit season and will be 42 by the time of the next major international tournament he could play in, Euro 2024 in Germany.

"I will continue as long as I can,” the AC Milan striker told a press conference. "You won’t get a different answer here just because we didn’t win this match and we didn’t qualify for the World Cup.

"That goes for the national team, and also for Milan.”

Ibrahimovic only came out of international retirement last year after initially hanging up his boots for Sweden following Euro 2016. — AFP