Can Zlatan break new ground with Sweden?

Zlatan Ibrahimović can set two UEFA European Championship records if he has a good day against the Republic of Ireland in Group E on Monday.

Ibrahimović and Cristiano Ronaldo have each registered six goals in the course of the last three EUROs and are within three strikes of Michel Platini's finals record of nine – all of them scored at the 1984 edition in France.

The pair are among seven players who have netted at three different final tournaments, yet they can break new ground with one more goal at Le Rendez-Vous.

• Ronaldo and Zlatan chase EURO scoring records
• Preview: Republic of Ireland v Sweden

Can Zlatan match – or even overhaul – Platini's total today? The skipper has hit four hat-tricks for Sweden in the past, even ending the game with four goals on two occasions. However, a treble at this level would be something extraordinary.

Being the first to find the target in four EUROs looks a more achieveable ambition, though he has yet to score in three meetings with Ireland.

The 34-year-old has, however, struck in eight of Sweden's last nine competitive fixtures, and in his first match at the last three EUROs (v Bulgaria 2004, Greece 2008 and Ukraine 2012). It was put to him ahead of the Irish encounter that he might prosper against what was regarded as a sluggish Republic defence, but he was oddly self-effacing in replying: "I'm also slow so it doesn't matter. They can still be good even if they're slow."

Ibrahimović's stats certainly suggest he is a player getting better with age; he registered 23 goals in his first 63 internationals, but 39 in his last 50. His strikes have also helped Sweden immensely. The Scandinavians' win ratio when Ibrahimović scores is 73%, while in the 69 games where he has played and not scored, the win ratio drops to 33%.