World Cup 2014 is nothing without me: Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Zlatan Ibrahimovic may have lost in his attempt to fire Sweden into the World Cup — instead seeing Cristiano Ronaldo’s hat-trick sink his side in the playoff — but the big striker was still at his cockiest best after the loss. Portugal had beaten Sweden 1-0 in the first leg before Ibrahimovic decided to liven up things in the second. Ronaldo had put his team 1-0 up to make it 2-0 on aggregate before the PSG man slammed in a couple of goals to make equal up. However, Ronaldo had the last laugh with two more goals to his name to win the match for Portugal 4-2 on aggregate. [caption id=“attachment_1239877” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Portugal had beaten Sweden 1-0 in the first leg before Ibrahimovic decided to liven up things in the second. AP[/caption] While it would have been a spectacle to see both Ibrahimovic and Ronaldo at the World Cup in Brazil next year, it will only be the latter who takes centre-stage. Ibrahimovic though, had other thoughts: “It was probably the last attempt to reach the World Cup with the national team for me. One thing is for sure, a World Cup without me is nothing to watch so it is not worth while to wait for the World Cup,” he said on his app, Zlatan Unplugged. “Congratulations to Portugal but both teams deserved to get to the World Cup. The disappointment of course is great now that the World Cup in Brazil will remain a dream for the Swedish national team,” said the 32-year-old, whose only hope of competing in an international tournament will probably be Euro 2016.