Zlatan Ibrahimovic has backed Lionel Messi to guide Argentina to World Cup 2022 glory, insisting that his former Barcelona teammate 'will win' football's greatest prize for the first time – at what is expected to his last finals.
Since shockingly losing their tournament opener to Saudi Arabia, Argentina haven't looked back, beating Mexico and Poland to top their group – then dispatching Australia in the last 16; and surviving a late comeback from the Netherlands to win a seriously feisty quarter-final clash on penalties.
Messi has been involved in six of his country's nine goals in Qatar so far, scoring four (including one of the strikes of the tournament, an arrowed long-range effort against Mexico) and providing two assists.
It's no exaggeration to say Argentina wouldn't be in the semi-finals – where they face Croatia on Tuesday night – without the seven-time Ballon d'Or recipient pulling the strings.
And Ibrahimovic – who wasn't present in Qatar as Sweden failed to qualify – thinks the stars have aligned for Messi, now 35, to finally get his hands on the World Cup trophy.
Speaking ahead of the semis, the AC Milan striker – who's still going strong at the age of 41 – said:
"I think it's already written who will win [the World Cup] – and you know who I mean. I think Messi will lift the trophy; it's already written."
Should Argentina get past Croatia – who stunned Brazil in a shootout to reach this stage – it will set up the second World Cup final of Messi's career.
The first in 2014 ended in heartbreak for the player widely considered to be the greatest of all time, as the Albiceleste lost 1-0 to Germany in extra time.
