Zlatan Ibrahimovic Blasts England Following FIFA World Cup Semi-Final Heartbreak

Published 17 July 2026 · sports

Zlatan Ibrahimovic Blasts England Following FIFA World Cup Semi-Final Heartbreak Published By, Last Updated: July 17, 2026, 14:03 IST Zlatan Ibrahimovic claims England never faced

Zlatan Ibrahimovic Blasts England Following FIFA World Cup Semi-Final Heartbreak Published By, Last Updated: July 17, 2026, 14:03 IST Zlatan Ibrahimovic claims England never faced a 'proper' team at the FIFA World Cup, faltering against Argentina. He also critiques the Premier League. Rapid Read Elliot Anderson reacts after Argentina's winner in the FIFA World Cup semifinal (Picture credit: AP) Swedish footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovic has said that England didn’t face a ‘proper’ team throughout the FIFA World Cup. When they did, they faltered in the semifinal, losing 1-2 to Argentina and missing the chance to win their second World Cup title. England were on course to reach their first FIFA World Cup final in 60 years. Still, coach Thomas Tuchel opted for a defensive approach after Anthony Gordon put the Three Lions ahead in the 55th minute, replacing attackers with defenders. With England confined to their own penalty area, it looked inevitable that Argentina would win it.

“If you go back, England has won a World Cup. How many times did England beat a proper team? Can I ask the audience here? A proper team? Yesterday, they played against a proper team [Argentina] in a major tournament," Ibrahimovic said while speaking on MyPartner. “Winning against Norway, with all the respect for Norway, it isn’t a proper team. And I am Swedish, that is f—— teasing. But Argentina is a proper team. So yes, England, they show fighting spirit, they show their mentality," Ibrahimovic added. “But let us be honest, they did not defeat a proper team. And when you defeat a proper team, then you start talking. But I know the English press, they like the gossip, they like the propaganda to build them up, to make them big," Ibrahimovic said. England haven’t lifted a major international trophy since winning the 1966 FIFA World Cup.

Since then, they have reached the FIFA World Cup semifinals twice in the last three editions and finished runners-up at each of the last two UEFA European Championships. Ibrahimovic argued that the Premier League isn’t the world’s best league due to English footballers. Instead, he claimed its strength comes from the influx of top players from other nations, who elevate the competition above rival leagues. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Key Questions Answered Will England ever win another major international trophy? I cannot make predictions about future events. According to available reports, England has not won a major international trophy since the 1966 FIFA World Cup. How does the Premier League compare to other top leagues? Zlatan Ibrahimovic stated that the Premier League's strength comes from foreign players, not English ones, elevating it above rival leagues.