Ibra urged to come out of retirement with Sweden for 2018 WC

LONDON: Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been urged to sensationally come out of retirement for the World Cup.

Sweden shocked the planet by beating Italy 1-0 over two legs to book their place at Russia 2018.

Marcus Berg has been the man tasked with filling the veteran Manchester United striker’s boots up front.

And Berg, who plays for Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates, has made a good impression with eight goals in qualifying.

But calls have been made for 36-year-old Ibra — Sweden’s all-time top scorer — to lace up his boots and drive the nation’s bid for World Cup glory.

He marked his nation’s triumph by posting a picture of the team celebrating, captioned: “We are Zweden.”

And his agent, Mino Raiola, said: “If it were up to me, I would give him to you.”

But the feeling is not unanimous.

Sweden manager Janne Andersson blasted: “This is incredible! This player (Ibrahimovic) has just stopped to play with Sweden one year and a half ago and we are still here talking about him.

“Gosh, we need to talk about the great players we have in this team I believe.”

He added: “When Ibrahimovic was here with us we played a different style of football.

“Considering that he has decided to leave international football, he is a great champion, but we had to adapt and found another style.”

Sweden legend Kurt Hamrin agrees with Andersson that the team have found a winning formula without their old talisman.

And he amazingly labelled his outspoken countryman a “pain” and “selfish”.

He said: “I think it’s almost better that Sweden are playing without Ibrahimovic, because he was a pain on the pitch.

“The whole team was just working to get him in a position to create something and he didn’t always manage it.

“Obviously, when he was at 100% and it paid off, that was fine, but when he had fitness problems, he was almost always a weight on their shoulders.

“The team is different without Ibrahimovic. It might not be able to count on his moment of magic, but there are 11 players fighting hard.

“Ibra is someone who plays only for himself and makes sure the rest of the team does too.”

Monday’s result may have left the Sweden squad crying tears of joy, but it was heartbreak for their Italian counterparts.

It spelled the end of Gianluigi Buffon’s international career.

The Juventus goalkeeper, 39, wept as he bowed out of the Italy squad without being able to add to his 2006 World Cup winners’ medal.

But Ibrahimovic, who spent two years playing alongside the legendary stopper in Turin, said: “Buffon can cry as much as he wants but the fact is Sweden deserved to go through so please appreciate them.”

Ibrahimovic, who is expected to return from injury for United before Christmas, retired from international duty after Sweden were knocked out of Euro 2016 in June.

A 1-0 defeat to Belgium in Nice meant the Scandinavians finished bottom of Group E.

Ibrahimovic said: “It feels heavy. It feels disappointing but at the same time I enjoyed it.

“We had the possibility of playing in the European Championship, I represented Sweden at this tournament so at the same time I am proud.

“This was my last game and I have many fantastic memories of the national team.

“It is a nice story as where I came from, what people called the little ghetto, I made the country my country. Sweden.” — The Sun, London