Irish seek to stop Zlatan in vital opener

Rather than bristle at the impolite enquiry, Zlatan Ibrahimovic – bound for Manchester United this summer having quit Paris Saint-Germain – seized his opening.

“The legend can still deliver”.

If he has a team to face Sweden, it may not be the side to play in every game at Euro 2016. I have no issue about that.

Personal milestones are incidental for the Stoke man as he attempts to force his way into Martin O’Neill’s team for Monday night’s opening Euro 2016 fixture against Sweden, although he admits he could never have envisaged representing his country for so long when he made his bow against Russian Federation in March 1996. It’s very, very important, of course, it would be great to get of to a great start, and I’m sure that Sweden are targeting us in the sense that they feel that if they could win this game against us, it gives them a great chance. “I’ll try and take it all in and if I get the chance hopefully I will play well”, says Duffy. It’s all about learning and developing new things.

Placed debatably at number two in the world, Belgium are the favourites to win the group and with world stars such as goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and attackers Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku, the Irish team will need to be on top form to get a result.

He’s feeling fine and I’m hoping he’s available for us.

I have worked hard on the pitch and didn’t just sit down and do nothing.

‘I know what I want and I know I will do it – simple as that’.

Keane had earlier scored for Ireland before the incident that caused an global outcry.

The frontman welcomed a question which reminded him of Keane’s kind words.

“We’re fully focused on that Sweden game and we’ll try to not let the occasion get to us”. “I don’t think as a group we’re thinking that Sweden is going to be more winnable than any of the others; far from it”. Things fell into place over the last few days, that he was going to stay on and when he wanted me to be part of it I didn’t really hesitate. What the future will be, you will know soon.

Sweden and Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in a major tournament when they go head-to-head in Monday’s Group E curtain-raiser.

Ibrahimovic suggested he demands less from his Sweden team-mates than he did of PSG’s expensively-assembled squad.

On the field, too, it is all about Ibra.

“I have the greatest share of the pressure, and it comes from myself”, he told reporters. I have a team in mind at the moment. I am used to it. You look back at historic goals over the years and I remember when I was a kid, I’d say “I’d love to be at that game to witness it”, but to actually score that goal was just an wonderful feeling.

The man whose father Ed was a professional basketball player is now ready to catch the opportunity to establish himself as his country’s first choice.