2026 World Cup: Zlatan Ibrahimovic analyzes Sweden’s defeat against France

The former Swedish international Zlatan Ibrahimovic did not hide his disappointment after Sweden’s elimination against France (3-0) on Tuesday in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup. Fueled by a brace from Kylian Mbappé and a goal from Bradley Barcola, the French team largely dominated the match, securing their qualification for the quarter-finals.

Asked after the match on Fox Sports, Ibrahimovic felt that Sweden paid for its lack of defensive rigor after a promising start. “I must talk about my little Swedish team. They were solid for the first 15 to 20 minutes, then lost their discipline in organization, especially defensively,” analyzed the former forward.

However, Zlatan Ibrahimovic wanted to commend Graham Potter’s choices, who opted for a four-defender system with an attacking duo composed of Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres. “I have to congratulate Graham Potter. He returned to a four-man defense and fielded two forwards, Isak and Gyökeres. This is, in my opinion, how this team should play, even though I’m not the coach,” continued the former Paris Saint-Germain player.

Finally, Ibrahimovic paid tribute to the French team, which he considers one of the most impressive squads in the tournament. “We will see how far France goes in this World Cup, but what they have shown since the start of the competition is impressive,” concluded the Swedish football legend.