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Zlatan Ibrahimovic tells England to 'look in the mirror' after semifinal loss vs Argentina: ‘Levels to these games’
Zlatan Ibrahimovic did not hold back while assessing England's campaign, questioning the quality of the teams they defeated before suffering defeat to Argentina
England have come under heavy criticism following their FIFA World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina after letting a winning position slip. The Three Lions made the perfect start, with Anthony Gordon's goal putting them ahead and firmly in control of the contest. However, instead of building on their advantage, England retreated into a defensive shell, inviting relentless pressure from Argentina. The cautious approach proved costly as Lionel Messi orchestrated wave after wave of attacks, with Argentina dominating possession and repeatedly delivering dangerous balls into the box. England's backline eventually cracked under the sustained pressure. Messi's brilliance made the difference in the closing stages, as he produced two sublime assists to set up Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez, who both found the net to complete Argentina's comeback. The defeat not only ended England's World Cup campaign but also raised serious questions over their tactical approach in one of their biggest matches.
Former Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic did not hold back while assessing England's World Cup campaign, questioning the quality of the teams they defeated before suffering a semi-final defeat to Argentina. The outspoken football icon argued that England had not beaten a "proper team" during their run and suggested their shortcomings were exposed once they faced Messi's side in the last four.
"If you go back, England has won a World Cup," Ibrahimovic told a mypartner.com panel in New York. "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. Winning against Norway, with all the respect for Norway, it's not a proper team. And I'm Swedish, that's f------ teasing," he added.
Ibrahimovic doubled down on his criticism, insisting England's run to the semi-finals flattered them because they had not overcome any genuine title contenders. He claimed the defeat to Argentina exposed the gap between England and the tournament's elite, while also taking aim at the English media for building excessive hype around the team before what he described as a "reality check."
"But Argentina is a proper team. So yes, England, they show fighting spirit, they show their mentality. But let's be honest, they didn't beat a proper team.
"And when you beat 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. Yesterday was a reality check. There is levels to these games. Levels. That's the difference. Look here in mirror and ask yourself how good are you?" he added.
Premier League is good becuase of mix of foreign players
The former Manchester United striker also challenged the perception that England's footballing strength comes solely from its domestic talent, arguing that the Premier League's global appeal is built on the quality of international players rather than English footballers alone.
"People, according to themselves, they think they are good, better than everybody else," he said. "But the reality is the Premier League is not only based on English players. You have a mix of the foreign players that represent Premier League and that's why Premier League is good," he concluded.
