Zlatan to be at World Cup, but not with Sweden

CAIRO – 13 May 2018: Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who decided to retire from international play after Euro 2016, will be at the World Cup in Russia this summer; not with the Swedish team coached by Janne Andersson, but with a well-known trademark in an advertising campaign.

The former striker of Barcelona, Juventus, Milan, Inter and Manchester United, now at Los Angeles Galaxy, has launched several messages over the last weeks that could suggest he could return to the Scandinavian squad.

Sweden qualified to the 2018 World Cup in Russia after eliminating Italy in the play-off games.

I cannot deprive the FIFA World Cup ™ of Zlatan. I will be there. I even have a coach ready. Fully Zlatanised. Zlatan will return to the #WorldCup, thanks to Visa

A post shared by Zlatan Ibrahimović (@iamzlatanibrahimovic) on May 10, 2018 at 7:54am PDT

However, at the end of April, the Swedish Football Federation confirmed that the national team’s squad will be the same, so Zlatan will not be eligible.

Finally, Ibrahimovic and Visa confirmed this week that the striker will go to Russia 2018, but as an image for the credit card company.