Zlatan Ibrahimovic played his last game for Sweden when they were knocked out of Euro 2016 on Wednesday and his coach said the country was unlikely to find another player like him.

Ibrahimovic, making his 116th appearance, ended his international career with a 1-0 defeat to Belgium in which he had a second-half goal disallowed.

The 34-year-old broke the mould of the Swedish game during his 15-year international career, blowing away the cobwebs after decades of collectivism with his individual brilliance – and cockiness.

“If I have to think about a new Zlatan, I hope we can find some other player who’s a really good player but I don’t think in a small country like Sweden you can find another player like him,” coach Erik Hamren told reporters. “He’s special, he’s unique.

“I hoped he could have had a better finish than this. The same goes for (goalkeeper) Andreas Isaksson and (midfielder) Kim Kallstrom, who have performed well for a long time and are also ending their Sweden careers.”

Ibrahimovic, 34, played respectably in all three of Sweden’s matches without ever producing some of the outrageous skill of which he is capable.

He clearly suffered from a lack of service on Wednesday, often being forced to drop back into midfield to collect the ball, as he was against Italy in the previous game.

Even Belgium’s players were sad to see him go.

“Zlatan has done a lot of important things in his career and would have wanted to go further here,” said Eden Hazard.

Belgium coach Marc Wilmots remembered his own international retirement against Brazil at the 2002 World Cup.

“I remember from when I finished my own career with Belgium that it’s difficult,” he said.

“He has done a lot of things for Sweden. I just said “bravo” to him and wished him luck for the future.”

THE KNOCK-OUT STAGE

ROUND OF 16

JUNE 25

Match 1 – Switzerland vs Poland15.00

Match 2 – Wales vs Northern Ireland18.00

Match 3 – Croatia vs Portugal21.00

JUNE 26

Match 4 – France vs Ireland15.00

Match 5 – Germany vs Slovakia18.00

Match 6 – Hungary vs Belgium21.00

JUNE 27

Match 7 – Italy vs Spain18.00

Match 8 – England vs Iceland21.00

QUARTER-FINALS

JUNE 30 – Match A

Winner M1 vs Winner M321.00

JULY 1 – Match B

Winner M2 vs Winner M621.00

JULY 2 – Match C

Winner M5 vs Winner M721.00

JULY 3 – Match D

Winner M4 vs Winner M821.00

SEMI-FINALS

JULY 6 – Winner Match A vs Winner Match B21.00

JULY 7 – Winner Match C vs Winner Match D21.00

FINAL – July 10 (Stade de France, Saint-Denis)21.00

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