Sweden doing just fine at World Cup without Ibrahimovic
Sweden are doing just fine at the World Cup without Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Even the man himself thinks so. “Listen, whoever play against Sweden will have a hard time. That’s for sure and I think everybody knows it,” Ibrahimovic said in a video posted by his current club, LA Galaxy.
If coach Janne Andersson’s team are to go any further in Russia, it will be at the expense of No. 6-ranked Switzerland, as two of Europe’s less decorated football nations meet today in the round of 16.
Both sides have been waiting a long time for a trip to the World Cup quarter-finals.
The last time Switzerland went that deep into the tournament was in 1954. Sweden hasn’t won a round-of-16 match since finishing third in the United States in 1994.
Sweden started their campaign in Russia with a narrow victory over South Korea. Then they surrendered a 1-0 lead to lose to Germany thanks to Toni Kroos’ winner deep in stoppage time, which provided what proved to be a temporary stay of World Cup execution for the defending champions.
In their final group match, Sweden moved up a gear to beat Mexico 3-0 and finish atop its group.
Sweden have adapted well to life after Ibrahimovic, who retired from international football after a disappointing 2016 European Championship that saw Sweden finish last in their group.
In his absence, Sweden notched a win over France in their World Cup qualification group and beat Italy in a two-leg playoff to reach Russia.
“I took over the world,” Ibrahimovic said. “Now Sweden are taking over the world.”
Looking at previous encounters is not going to help a great deal in picking a winner in St Petersburg.
The teams have met 28 times, with Switzerland holding the narrowest of advantages – 11 wins compared to Sweden’s 10. There have been seven draws. But the teams have not played one another since a 1-1 friendly draw in March 2002.