Ending weeks of speculation, the Swedish football federation announced Thursday that star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who quit the national squad in 2016, will not make a comeback for this summer’s World Cup in Russia.
“I spoke with Zlatan on Tuesday. He said that he has not changed his mind regarding the national squad,” the managing director of the national squad, Lars Richt, said in a statement after the player dropped numerous hints of a possible return.
“It’s a no,” Richt added.
In an appearance on ABC television’s late night Jimmy Kimmel show on April 18, the new star of LA Galaxy teased fans that he may come out of retirement to play in the showpiece.
Known for his swagger, Zlatan said “it wouldn’t be a World Cup” if he didn’t play, clearly forgetting he has not played in one since 2006, before adding: “I’m going to the World Cup, yes.”
The 36-year-old retired from the Swedish team after the 2016 European Championship. He said last month he wanted to concentrate on settling into his new life in Major League Soccer before thinking about the World Cup.
Following an injury-blighted stay at Manchester United, the father of two became the latest in a long line of aging stars to leave European football for the US.
The 6ft 4ins (1.95m) striker tweeted on April 15: “The chance of me playing in the World Cup is skyhöga (sky high).”
He later told Swedish media that “high odds — that doesn’t mean it’s going to happen.”
Ibrahimovic had just weeks earlier become a global brand ambassador for Swedish betting company Bethard, prompting some Swedish commentators to lament that his World Cup teasing was nothing more than an advertising gimmick.
“It feels like the whole thing was just aimed at building up his brand in the US and it even seemed at times like he thought it was funny,” Daniel Nannskog, a commentator for Swedish public broadcaster SVT, said.
At home in Sweden, Ibrahimovic’s possible World Cup return elicited mixed reactions.
Sweden coach Janne Andersson has been coolly indifferent.
“It doesn’t change anything for me,” he said last month.
“Zlatan is very welcome to call me” if he wants to join the squad, Andersson added.
Richt declined to specify whether the team had asked Ibrahimovic to join.
He “has always said that he won’t play and he quit the national team,” Richt told AFP.
Some Sweden fans would love nothing more than to see the country’s most prolific goal-scorer — he notched 62 goals in 116 games — don the blue-and-yellow kit again.
But others argue he has no place on a squad that managed to qualify without him, memorably eliminating World Cup giants Italy in a playoff.
Ibrahimovic has 31 winners’ medals in spells with Ajax, Inter Milan, Barcelona, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United.
But his 2017 season and ultimately his United career was brought to a premature end by cruciate ligament damage suffered in April.
He never returned as a regular in the United side.
In trademark style, he announced his arrival in Los Angeles with a full-page advert in the LA Times reading simply: “Dear Los Angeles, You’re welcome.”
Zlatan Ibrahimovic rules out international return at the World Cup for Sweden
Zlatan Ibrahimovic rules out international return at the World Cup for Sweden
- The LA Galaxy star had dropped hints he was ready to return to international duty at this summer's World Cup.
- 36-year-old retired from the Swedish team after the 2016 European Championship
Pakistan’s Azan Ali Khan clinches Junior Under-17 Scottish Open squash title
- Khan defeats Swiss opponent to win tournament that featured players from 22 nations
- Khan will now compete in the British Open World Junior Squash Championship next year
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani squash player Azan Ali Khan clinched the Junior Under-17 Scottish Junior Open Championship 2024 in Edinburgh this week, defeating Switzerland’s Landro Wagle in the final while remaining undefeated throughout the tournament, a non-government organization sponsoring him said on Tuesday.
The Scottish Junior Open 2024 was held from Dec. 28 to 30, featuring players from 22 countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy, Egypt and the United States.
“Azlan Ali Khan has emerged as the champion of the 2024 Scottish Junior Open Championship,” Muslim Hands Pakistan, Khan’s sponsor, said in a statement. “Azan Ali Khan defeated Switzerland’s Landro Wagle in the final to win the title.”
Muslim Hands Pakistan, a branch of the UK-based charity, works to alleviate poverty, sickness and lack of education in the country. It operates over 335 schools, serving more than 25,000 students and runs projects in health care, water, sanitation and vocational training.
Khan dedicated his victory to Pakistan’s out-of-school children. The South Asian country has a population 22.8 million out-of-school children aged 5-16 years, making Pakistan the country with the second-highest number of out-of-school children.
Rana Mashood Ahmed Khan, chairman of the Pakistan Prime Minister’s Youth Program, congratulated Khan, his coach and team manager on the achievement.
“Azan Ali Khan is now preparing for the next stage and will compete in the British Open World Junior Squash Championship,” Muslim Hands said. “The British Open World Junior Squash Championship will be held from January 2 to January 6 in Birmingham.”
Hart triple-double sparks Knicks to eighth straight NBA win
- At Salt Lake City the Denver Nuggets got triple-doubles from Nikola Jokic and Russell Westbrook in beating the Utah Jazz 132-121
- The NBA-best Cleveland Cavaliers, led by 25 points from Darius Garland and 23 by Donovan Mitchell, rolled over host Golden State 113-95 to improve their win streak to seven
WASHINGTON: Josh Hart delivered his third triple-double of the season on Monday to spark the New York Knicks to a 126-106 victory at Washington that stretched their win streak to eight games.
Hart had 23 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists for his ninth triple-double with the Knicks while Karl-Anthony Towns had a game-high 32 points and 13 rebounds.
Jalen Brunson and O.G. Anunoby each scored 18 points for New York, which improved to 23-10.
The Knicks led 59-57 at half time over the Eastern Conference doormats and pulled away in the third quarter before dominating the fourth to win.
“We executed, we got stops, we played fast,” Hart said. “We played to our strengths. Sometimes it takes us a little while to wake up. We always do.”
At Salt Lake City the Denver Nuggets got triple-doubles from Nikola Jokic and Russell Westbrook in beating the Utah Jazz 132-121.
Jokic had 36 points, 23 rebounds and 10 assists while Westbrook contributed 16 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists to ignite the Nuggets.
Michael Porter added 21 points for Denver while Jamal Murray and Christian Braun each scored 20 for the Nuggets (18-13).
The NBA-best Cleveland Cavaliers, led by 25 points from Darius Garland and 23 by Donovan Mitchell, rolled over host Golden State 113-95 to improve their win streak to seven.
Reserve Moses Moody led the Warriors with 19 points while Stephen Curry managed only 11 points on 4-of-14 shooting, 3-of-11 from three-point range.
Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid scored 37 points and grabbed nine rebounds to power the 76ers to their fourth victory in a row, a 125-103 triumph at Portland.
Tyrese Maxey added 23 points for the Sixers.
At New Orleans, James Harden sank four free throws in the final 17 seconds to give the Los Angeles Clippers a 116-113 victory over the host Pelicans, the NBA’s worst club dropping a 10th consecutive game to sink to 5-28.
Norman Powell scored a game-high 35 points while Harden added 27 as the Clippers improved to 19-13.
De’Aaron Fox scored a game-high 33 points and the Sacramento Kings, who trailed by as many as 18 points, beat visiting Dallas 110-100 to snap a six-game losing streak.
The Kings closed the third quarter with a 17-2 run for an 83-77 lead entering the fourth, which began with an 11-4 Sacramento run for a 94-81 edge as the hosts pulled away to stay.
The Mavericks were without Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
Elsewhere, Coby White had 23 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists to spark the Chicago Bulls’ 115-108 overtime victory at Charlotte.
Miles Bridges, who had a game-high 31 points for the Hornets, hit a three-pointer with 1.1 seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime at 98-98.
Emma Raducanu pulls out of Australian Open warm-up with back injury
- Former US Open champion will now fly to Melbourne to begin rehabilitation ahead of the year’s first major
- The 22-year-old has suffered a series of injuries since bursting onto the scene with her New York triumph in 2021
AUCKLAND: Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu pulled out of the Auckland Classic on Tuesday with a “back niggle” in a blow to her Australian Open preparations.
Britain’s Raducanu will now fly to Melbourne to begin rehabilitation ahead of the year’s first major starting on January 12.
The 22-year-old has suffered a series of injuries since bursting onto the scene with her New York triumph in 2021.
“I’ve tried my best to be ready. I love Auckland and the fans here,” the 56th-ranked Raducanu said.
“But unfortunately I’ve picked up a back niggle and I won’t be ready in time.”
Raducanu is traveling with renowned fitness coach Yutaka Nakamura in an attempt to better withstand the rigors of professional tennis.
Raducanu missed a chunk of 2023 following wrist and ankle surgery, and was recently sidelined for two months by a foot injury.
Former Australian Open semifinalist Elize Mertens also withdrew Tuesday hours before the second seed’s first-round match in Auckland.
Top seed Madison Keys defied blustery conditions to win her first-round match in straight sets over Lucia Bronzetti.
American world number 21 Keys was relieved to start her season with a solid 6-4, 6-4 outing against the Italian.
“I feel like we all come out, we’re a little bit nervous, but it’s obviously so much fun to be back out here,” she said.
“Lucia is one of those players who’s just going to make you keep on having to play shots. So it’s great for the confidence this early in the season.”
The 29-year-old will next play unseeded Romanian Jaqueline Cristian after her Ukrainian opponent Yuliia Starodubtseva retired during their second set.
Former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin beat China’s Wang Xiyu 7-6 (7/5), 6-1, the American setting up a second-round match against fifth-seeded Dane Clara Tauson.
LeBron James, at 40, says he could have 5-7 more ‘high-level’ NBA years
- The basketball superstar, speaking after a Lakers practice session, also said he plans to finish out his NBA career with the Lakers, and would not make a comeback after leaving the league
- James, in his record-tying 22nd NBA campaign, is averaging 23.5 points, 9.0 assists and 7.9 rebounds a game and shooting 49.6 percent from the floor
LOS ANGELES: Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, celebrating his 40th birthday Monday, said he could play another five to seven years in the NBA at a high-caliber level — though he conceded he would probably retire before then.
The basketball superstar, speaking after a Lakers practice session, also said he plans to finish out his NBA career with the Lakers, and would not make a comeback after leaving the league — whenever that is.
Asked what might be the deciding factor about when to retire, James declared a lack of competitiveness would not be his reason.
“It won’t be because I can’t play this game at a high level,” James said. “To be honest, if I really wanted to, I could probably play this game at a high level for another five to seven years if I wanted to, but I’m not going to do that.”
James, in his record-tying 22nd NBA campaign, is averaging 23.5 points, 9.0 assists and 7.9 rebounds a game and shooting 49.6 percent from the floor.
He won a third Olympic gold medal with the US team of NBA stars in Paris this year and, after starting in the NBA as an 18-year-old rookie, now has a 20-year-old son as an NBA teammate.
James is a four-time NBA champion, four-time NBA Most Valuable Player, a 20-time NBA All-Star and owns the ever-expanding NBA records for most points and games played in a career.
James said he plans to play out his career with the Lakers.
“I think that’s the plan,” James said. “I would love for it to end here. That would be the plan. I came here to play the last stage of my career.
“I think my relationship with this organization speaks for itself. Hopefully I don’t have to go nowhere before my career is over.”
Once he is gone, James said, there will be no comeback attempts, as was the case with superstar Michael Jordan.
“No, no, no, no, no. But I will miss the hell out of it for sure,” James said. “But no, I won’t walk away and then come back.”
For his career, James is averaging 27.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 1.5 steals over 1,520 games.
Clinical Swiatek romps as Tsitsipas crashes at United Cup
- Five-time Grand Slam winner Swiatek was on court for the first time since news broke in late November that she served a one-month ban for a doping violation
- Kazakh world No. 6 and 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina survived a late wobble before burying Greek hopes with a 6-4, 6-3 defeat of Maria Sakkari
PERTH: Iga Swiatek romped to an emphatic victory in her season-opening match at the United Cup Monday, but Stefanos Tsitsipas crashed as Kazakhstan upset Greece to make the knockout round of the mixed-team tournament.
Five-time Grand Slam winner Swiatek was on court for the first time since news broke in late November that she served a one-month ban for a doping violation.
But the Pole quickly shook off any nerves in Sydney with a 6-1, 6-0 thrashing of Norway’s Malene Helgo.
“Pleased with everything, honestly. I’m happy for sure with the performance,” said the world No. 2.
“It’s not always easy to play for your country, sometimes the pressure is a bit bigger.
“I feel good, I feel happy, happy I can play tennis overall,” she added. “I’m just going step by step and we’ll see what’s next.”
The 23-year-old tested positive for the heart medication trimetazidine (TMZ) in an out-of-competition sample in August when she was ranked No. 1.
However, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted that the violation was not intentional and she escaped with a one-month sanction.
While she was in electric form, Greek star Tsitsipas had a day to forget.
He is coming off a mediocre 2024 in which his ranking dropped to its current 11 from a career-high three and was hoping for a confidence-boosting fresh start in Perth.
But he was stunned 6-4, 7-6 (7/0) by 78th-ranked Alexander Shevchenko.
Kazakh world No. 6 and 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina then survived a late wobble before burying Greek hopes with a 6-4, 6-3 defeat of Maria Sakkari.
“I’m really happy for the team,” said Rybakina, now working with Novak Djokovic’s former coach Goran Ivanizevic. “We all tried hard.
“It was a tough match for me today and I’m so happy to be in the quarter-finals.”
Rybakina took the first set and led 5-0 in the second, but the former world No. 3 Sakkari won three games in a row to threaten a comeback.
Rybakina came through on her third match point as Sakkari mis-hit an overhead.
“At 5-0 you have nothing to lose, she played more aggressively and hit some good shots,” said Rybakina.
Shevchenko called his defeat of a sluggish Tsitsipas “one of the best” of his career.
“He was not at his best today. But I played really well and found the moment to win that match,” he said.
“It will definitely go in my record as one of my best wins.”
Defending champions Germany, led by Alexander Zverev, defeated China 2-1 in the Perth evening session as both nations reached the quarterfinals.
The Germans finished top in their group and will line up on Wednesday against Kazakhstan. China advanced as the best of the three runners-up in Perth.
Second-ranked Zverev recovered from a bad start to beat Zhang Zhizhen 2-6, 6-0, 6-2 but unfancied Gao Xinyu stunned German Laura Siegemund 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 to even the tie.
The German pair combined in mixed doubles to defeat Zhang Shuai and Zhang Zhizhen 6-2, 7-6 (7/3).
Zverev had his problems in the opening rubber against an inconsistent Zhang, who swept the opening set but disappeared after that.
“I didn’t start off well. I was missing more shots from my backhand side, which is normally the most stable,” said Zverev.
“He was also playing extremely well, so aggressive. He was not letting me into the match or find my rhythm.
“Then I found my rhythm and I’m happy with my performance in the second and third sets.”
In Sydney, Katie Boulter led Britain to victory over Argentina with all three teams in the group, which also includes hosts Australia, still in contention for the knockout rounds.
World No. 24 Boulter downed 100th-ranked Nadia Podoroska 6-2, 6-3.
Underdog Billy Harris looked on track to seal the tie for Britain when he went a set up against Tomas Martin Etcheverry.
But the Argentine rallied for a gutsy 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 win to send the tie to a deciding mixed doubles.
Etcheverry fronted up again with Maria Carle to take on Boulter and Charles Broom, with the British pair coming out on top 7-6 (7/4), 7-5.
