IN SPORT.ES
Manchester United forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic, effusive in his praise of Lionel Messi recently, has hit out at the media after he was criticised during a dry spell earlier in the season at his new club.
"Criticism gives me a lot of energy," he said after his side's late win against Middlesbrough on Saturday. "Critics get paid to talk rubbish. I get paid to play with my feet. That is how I enjoy it."
The Swedish forward, who has now scored 17 goals in 27 games with United, is taking heart from his first season in England: "Every year the Premier League has been calling me but I wanted to come here when everyone thought I was over the hill.
"They said it would not be possible but I always make them eat their words."
The former Barça striker also looked back over 2016, a year in which he won four titles and scored a lot of goals, for both Paris Saint-Germain and United.
"It was a fantastic year for me," he added. "It was amazing with PSG and my first six months with United have been more than incredible.
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"I'm super happy and I feel good. I don't know how many years I have left, but I am enjoying football. United called me every year. I wanted to come when they thought I was finished."