Zlatan wants the World Cup but the Swedish coach not so sure
We were almost done with 2017 year when the always amusing Zlatan Ibrahimovic had expressed: “If I listened to my ego then Sweden would, of course, be a better team with me”. However, the managed to enter the World Cup Russia 2018 without him, and the Swedish star still dreams about being present.
Swedish soccer coach Jan "Janne" Andersson said today about a possible return of Zlatan Ibrahimovic to the national team, that the striker must first inform him that he is available. "If the players change their minds, they should let me know, then we will have a discussion, it's fun that everyone wants to play in the national team, but that does not change my point of view." I respect his decision, the question is closed for me”, he said while presenting the list of Sweden, rival of Mexico in the World Cup in Russia, for the next friendlies.
Andersson would not reveal what he would do if "Ibra", 36, reconsidered his decision to leave the national team after the 2016 European Championship and said that this is just "speculation". The Manchester United striker, who returned to the field a few months ago after a serious knee injury, recently flirted during a visit to Sweden with a possible return to the national team, although he stressed that the first thing was to recover his level. "Nobody closes the door to the World Cup, but it's not about closing doors, but about being realistic and honest with oneself, first I have to play on a regular basis and feel that I am who I was," said the former Barcelona, Milan and Juventus player.
The list presented by Andersson for the friendlies against Chile on the 24th in Stockholm and the 27th at home in Romania does not include big news, with four absences regarding the play-off against Italy, all due to injury: goalkeeper Robin Olsen and the midfielders Jakob Johansson, Albin Ekdal and Marcus Rohdén.
The call was made for the following players: Goalkeepers: Karl-Johan Johnsson (Guingamp), Kristoffer Nordfeldt, (Swansea), Jacob Rinne (AaB), Defenses: Ludwig Augustinsson (Werder Bremen), Andreas Granqvist (Krasnodar), Filip Helander (Bologna), Pontus Jansson (Leeds), Victor Nilsson Lindelöf (Manchester United), Emil Krafth (Bologna), Martin Olsson (Swansea), Mikael Lustig ( Celtic), Midfielders: Victor Claesson (Krasnodar), Jimmy Durmaz (Toulouse), Emil Forsberg (Leipzig), Sebastian Larsson (Hull), Gustav Svensson (Seattle), Ken Sema (Östersund), Alexander Fransson (Lausanne), Oscar Hiljemark (Genoa), Christoffer Nyman (Eintracht Braunschweig), and Forwards: Marcus Berg (Al Ain), John Guidetti (Alaves), Isaac Kiese Thelin (Waasland-Beveren), Ola Toivonen (Toulouse).
Let us remember that in November 2017 Zlatan had stated: “I am not thinking about Sweden or the World Cup”. I am just thinking about returning to full fitness as soon as possible. My story with the national team is finished. Maybe I could have done more, maybe I could have done less but my time [with them] has come to an end. Either way it would be beautiful if Sweden reached the World Cup.” Well, Sweden did make it and the idea of a World Cup is just too dreamy.