Sorry to trample on your very dreams, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic will not be coming out of international retirement to play for Sweden at the 2018 World Cup.
The striker called it quits on the national scene after Sweden were put out of the group stages at Euro 2016, though there had been talk of late that he was planning to come roaring back for one last tour of duty.
As is his wont, Ibrahimovic kept stirring the pot by repeatedly stating he could return to the fold for the World Cup without even phoning ahead if he wanted to.
However, after speculation once again began to percolate, the Swedish FA (SvFF) have now moved to confirm that the 36-year-old will not be making a shock comeback to play in Russia…
“The Swedish national team’s greatest goalscorer through the ages has not changed (his mind) and will not play the World Cup,” read a brief statement posted on Instagram by the SvFF.
Association chief Lars Richt then followed up by confirming that a definitive decision had been reached mutually:
I talked to Zlatan on Tuesday. He announced he did not change his mind about the national team – it is no.
So that’s that.