Euro 2016: Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s Sweden career ends on a low – but with high praise from his manager Erik Hamren
Coach says he'll never find anyone else like Man Utd's new boy as the striker quits international football after loss to Belgium
ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC bowed out of internationals in defeat – and was told he is one of a kind.
The Sweden superstar’s Euros came to an end thanks to Radja Nainggolan’s stunning striker.
Swede boss Erik Hamren said: “I wanted them to have a better ending than this.
“I have to think about finding a new Zlatan. But he is special. He is unique.
“I hope we can find another player who is not Zlatan but is really good. I don’t think in a small country like Sweden you find another as he is really unique.”
Eden Hazard added: “Zlatan is a big man in football, he did a lot of great things in his career. Of course he wanted to go further but he was eliminated.
“He will stay a big champion and could do a lot at club level.”
Belgium secured a clash against Hungary in the second round after the win at the Allianz Riviera.
Hazard added: It’s going to be a complicated game. We watched the last few mins of their game against Portugal.
“This team gives 200 per cent on the field and it will be a difficult game. We will try to use our technical skills. We have to be ready to have a good game to qualify for the quarter-finals.
“If we go to the final maybe we can say it was good not to have too many favourites in our side of the draw.
“But Ireland won against Italy so there are not too many favourites.”
Belgium boss Marc Wilmots added: “You had to be patient because they had to open up. That’s why we defended a bit deeper.
“Then we had counter attacks and their goalkeeper was very very good. We followed our plan.
“Both teams attacked but tactically we were better on the counter attack. We could have finished a bit faster. It was a difficult game for people who had heart problems.”
On Zlatan, he added: “As a big person of football stops, I told him bravo for your career. I was a player, I know when you finish your international career it is very difficult. I wished him good luck for the future.
“You have to be very careful with Zlatan because he is very intelligent. Either Radja or Axel had to be just in front of the defence. Carrasco very good defensively, we invited themm to open up. If you open up against us you are punished. That’s what happened at the end. It was hot and humid I congratulate my players.”