Ibrahimovic tells Mbappe to "hurt himself" as he questions how good he is

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has declared Kylian Mbappe must "taste blood and walk on fire" in order to become the best player in the world.

Mbappe, 22, has been tipped to dominate European football over the next decade after his phenomenal rise at Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain.

He has already amassed 165 senior club goals and helped France clinch the World Cup in 2018 with his breathtaking performances in Russia.

Mbappe has won eight major honours since joining PSG in 2017, while Ibrahimovic won four consecutive Ligue 1 titles during a trophy-laden stint with the club between 2012 and 2016.

The veteran Swede is a big fan of the youngster but harbours doubts over his desire, claiming he must "hurt himself" to take his game to the next level.

Kylian Mbappe has been advised by his predecessor at Paris Saint-Germain

"I love Mbappe but he isn't doing enough. He can become very strong if he hurts himself. He needs to taste blood and walk on fire," Ibrahimovic told French outlet Telefoot.

"Surround yourself with people who tell you you're not good enough and you will become the best."

Ibrahimovic scored an astonishing 156 goals in 180 appearances during his time at the Parc des Princes.

Mbappe's tally stands at 138 goals in 185 appearances for PSG, although he now shares the limelight with Lionel Messi following the Argentine's free transfer this summer.

Messi's arrival means PSG have a star-studded attack which also includes Neymar, Angel Di Maria and Mauro Icardi, but Ibrahimovic insists the team was better during his time with the club.

He added: "It's a good challenge for Messi. He will try something new after a long period at Barcelona and he's going to a very ambitious club that wants to win and is rising.

"Is today's team better than the one in my era? No, we were a team. These days, it's not a team."

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Ibrahimovic was the main man in the dressing room following his arrival in the French capital from AC Milan nine years ago.

He subsequently returned to San Siro in 2019 and he continues to score at a steady rate despite being 40 years of age.

Milan sit second in Serie A, level on points with leaders Napoli, and they travel to Jose Mourinho's Roma on Sunday evening.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has scored two goals in five appearances for AC Milan this season

Despite his advanced years, Ibrahimovic left the door open to joining a new club when his contract expires at the end of the season.

The former Manchester United star said: "I'll carry on as long as I'm not left out or told that I'm finished, really finished.

"Will Milan be my final club? I'm not sure… I want to play for as long as I can. If they decide to let go of me even if I think I can go on, I will continue."