“It’s already written” — Zlatan Ibrahimovic predicts World Cup win for Lionel Messi and Argentina
Football legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic believes it is a foregone conclusion that Lionel Messi will win the 2022 World Cup with Argentina.
Following a disastrous start to their campaign in Qatar, in which Saudi Arabia produced a shock win, Lionel Scaloni’s Albiceleste have bounced back to reach the semi-finals, where they face 2018 runners-up Croatia at the Lusail Stadium on Tuesday night.
At the heart of their resurgence has been consummate superstar Messi, the nation’s totemic player of the modern era, who is both Argentina’s leading scorer on the Persian Gulf (with four goals) and playmaker front-runner (with two assists).
Croatia are perhaps the most awkward opponent in the World Cup, combining a world-class midfield with the none-shall-pass exploits of Dominik Livakovic and Josko Gvardiol, but Ibrahimovic has backed Argentina to bypass them — and Messi to finally get his hands on the Jules Rimet Trophy in the subsequent final.
Ahead of the penultimate round, the Swedish superstar commented: “I think it’s already written who will win, and you know who I mean. I think Messi will lift the trophy, it’s already written.”
Messi has defined a footballing era in the 21st century alongside his fellow Ballon d’Or magnet, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Ibrahimovic has also been presenting his thoughts on the Portuguese’s current situation as a free agent following his acrimonious departure from Manchester United — though he was less candid than with his World Cup prediction.
Ibrahimovic said: “His exiting United, I think when things happen, we will never know the true story.
“They say what they want to say, he says what he needs to say to protect himself, then you have the coach that says these things to protect himself. Then the club says things – not like me, I will tell you how it really happened. But we are all different.
“Everybody is careful about their image. For me the perfect image is being yourself. The true story we will not know my friend.”
