Sunday 15 March 2015 22:33, UK
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has apologised for launching into a foul-mouthed rant after Paris Saint-Germain's 3-2 Ligue 1 defeat at Bordeaux on Sunday.
Ibrahimovic was angry with referee Lionel Jaffredo, and was seen on French TV saying France did not deserve to have PSG.
But after the outburst prompted French sports minister Patrick Kanner to ask the player to say sorry, the Swede had duly apologised.
Directly after the game, Ibrahimovic said: "I've never seen this in my 15 years in football."
He added: "Don't even deserve PSG should be in this country," before a foul-mouthed rant about how the Paris side were "too good for this country".
But in a statement several hours after the game, Ibrahimovic said: "I would like to apologise if anyone felt offended. I want to make it clear that my remarks were not directed at France or the French. I was talking about football, I lost the match and I accept that but I don't accept when the referee does not follow the rules.
"I expressed myself when I was upset and everyone knows that in these moments, the words surpass the meaning."
Ibrahimovic scored twice in Sunday's defeat, four days after he was sent off as the Parisians knocked Chelsea out in the last 16 of the Champions League.
