Ibrahimovic plays down Ronaldo rivalry

LONDON - Two of world football’s biggest names will meet on Friday in the playoffs to determine Europe’s final four World Cup qualifiers with Zlatan Ibrahimovic saying Sweden deserve to go to Brazil more than Portugal.Ever since last month’s draw pitted Portugal against Sweden, the matchup has been billed as a head-to-head between Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.It will take something special to budge them from the spotlight, but Iceland is attempting to do just that.A Nordic nation better known for fishing and freezing temperatures than football, Iceland would become the least populous nation to play at a World Cup if it can get past Croatia.“This is the most important game in the history of the Icelandic men’s team,” Iceland midfielder Olafur Ingi Skulason said.In the other two-leg matches, it’s Ukraine against France and Greece vs. Romania. The second legs take place on Tuesday, when the 13 qualifiers from Europe will be finalized.Owning two of the biggest egos in football, Ronaldo and Ibrahimovic have dominated the build-up to the most anticipated of the four playoffs.Both players are in supreme form, with Ronaldo having scored 16 goals in 13 league games for Real Madrid this season and Ibrahimovic netting a string of brilliant goals for Paris Saint-Germain in the French league and Champions League.They both belong on world football’s biggest stage, but one will not be making the trip to Brazil.“With the squad and the individuals they have, Portugal is naturally the favorite,” Ibrahimovic said in an interview with Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport. “But we finished second in a group with Germany, which I consider the strongest squad in Europe, while they finished second in a group they should have won. “So I think we deserve to go to Brazil more than they do.”In Iceland, excitement is rising. Other sports organizations have changed their schedules to avoid clashing with one of biggest occasions in the history of Icelandic sport. Win or lose on Friday, Icelanders will celebrate.“I cannot say that we have been successful yet, but we’ve done pretty well, and it is great to go into two playoff games and have a chance to get to Brazil,” said Iceland coach Lars Lagerback, who led Sweden and Nigeria at previous World Cups.France, which has reached two of the last four World Cup finals, has the highest profile of the eight countries remaining but must qualify from the playoffs for the second straight campaign.For Franck Ribery, a contender for this year’s world player of the year award and in the form of his life for Bayern Munich and France, missing the World Cup doesn’t bare thinking about.“You don’t ask yourself that question. I don’t want to think about it,” Ribery said. “I want us to win and to qualify. After all, it’s Brazil. It’s the land of a football.”

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Ibrahimovic plays down Ronaldo rivalry