Veteran AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic was named in the Sweden squad for next month’s World Cup qualifiers on Tuesday in spite of an ongoing Achilles tendon problem.
Ibrahimovic, who turns 40 on Sunday, is in the group set to face Kosovo and Greece in Group B matches on October 9 and 12. Sweden is currently second in the group, four points behind leader Spain.
Sweden’s top goalscorer with 62 in 118 matches, “Ibra” emerged from an almost five-year international retirement in March with a view to going to the Euros, although a knee injury eventually ruled him out of the tournament.
He returned to the pitch with AC Milan against Lazio on September 12, but Achilles tendon pain has sidelined him since, both for Sweden and Milan.
Meanwhile in South America, Lionel Messi headlines the Argentina squad for three qualifiers in October as announced on Monday.
The Argentines are away to Paraguay on October 7 before hosting Uruguay three days later and wrapping up against Peru on October 14, also in Buenos Aires.
Argentina, with 18 points, is second in the standings behind Brazil, who have amassed 24 points in eight matches.
Three Premier League players — Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and Tottenham pair Giovani Lo Celso and Cristian Romero — are in the Argentina squad even though the country is on Britain’s coronavirus travel red list.
