STOCKHOLM (AFP) - One of Europe's top stars, Barcelona striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, will not be taking part in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa after Sweden failed to qualify Wednesday.
"When it's over it's over. It's been a great journey even though the end is bitter," Sweden coach Lars Lagerbaeck said after his team failed to qualify.
Ibrahimovic, who scored in each of Barcelona's first five matches this year after leading his previous team Inter Milan to three Serie A crowns, failed to work his magic for the national squad throughout the qualifiers.
Instead, the 28-year-old went goalless at the weekend as Sweden lost 1-0 to Denmark in Group A, reducing their chances of a trip to South Africa to a long shot.
Sweden beat Albania 4-1 on Wednesday but Portugal, who beat Malta 4-0, took the runners-up place in Group One with Denmark topping the section to qualify automatically.
"It's over now, there's nothing we can do it about it. Sure it feels a bit better that we won today but it is really disappointing to miss the World Cup," said Lagerbaeck, who announced at the weekend that he would step down as coach.
Ibrahimovic's switch to from Inter Milan to Barcelona was one of the sensations of the close-season transfer window, after Barca paid an mouth-watering 46 million euros to secure his signature.
But while the striker has dazzled for Barca and Inter Milan -- he was named Italian Player of the Year in 2009 -- he has at times struggled to score for Sweden even though the team has played in five straight major championships: the European championships in 2000, 2004 and 2008 and the World Cup in 2002 and 2006.
Ibrahimovic has scored 22 goals in 61 caps for the Scandinavian country.
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I've never been able to recognise what it is that is supposed to make him so good. I've never seen him play better than ok.
Where is the "Great Ibra" I was hearing of? Moving to Barca doesn`t make him a great shot. Just to qualify his national team for the world cup, he can`t even handle that, but has the Guts to slam at Inter. Don`t destroy a transit port cuz you might need transit again. Eto'o, you are the best regardless. The good thing is that Eto'o knows he`s better even though the Slow and viscious people won`t accept. Qualify Cameroon for the World cup and shut the mouth of those haters. Eto'o forever.
What did he do at Euro 2008.... he wont do better at SA 2010... so his absence will be unnoticed....
i personally wont miss him in SA 2010
Most over-rated player in history!
all top strikers will be in world cup but no ibra, hahahahahahahahahhahaha..........
ronaldo messi villa tores eto'o fabiano roney drogba van persie arshavin benzema henry anelka tevez and milito.
ibra is only for domestic leagues
he can't do much in big compitetion like CL, WC or euro cup
Too bad...for Ibra and for Sweden. He is an amazingly skilled and creative player to
watch, even if you don't like the way he handles himself off the field. His style of play is , well, un-Swedish for lack of a better term. Clearly he prefers the Euro-Club
open attacking style to his country's restrained approach. Looks like he doesn't enjoy
himself much playing for Sweden. Once again, just an observation, and I could be wrong
about that. I think he is a character, much like some of the stars in the '70s and '80s, and I for one miss those types. I won't miss Sweden much in SA 2010, but I will miss Zlatan's style.
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