ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC tasted Swede and Sour on his farewell last night.
It needed some Ibracadabra at the Allianz Riviera, something special from the great man.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic announced his international retirement today
But the magic came from Radja Nainggolan’s sweet curling volley that meant second place for Belgium and heartache for Ibra as he went into international retirement with a whimper.
This was more like the Zlatan that had England fans singing “you’re just a s*** Andy Carroll”.
Not the one that Three Lions travellers applauding him off the pitch after his Stockholm scissor-kick that beat Joe Hart from 40 yards.
But they could be seeing him soon if Manchester United snap him up.
International football’s loss could be the Premier League’s gain if the self-styled world’s greatest rolls into town.
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Sweden have given us ABBA, Ikea and now Zlatan.
It won’t be dull wherever the man dubbed “half ballerina, half gangster” ends up.
And he will have a point to prove after bowing out so miserably, with Sweden stinking out the tournament with their dull football.
After departing from Paris Saint-Germain last month he said he “I came like a king, left like a legend”.
But he was a pauper yesterday as Chelsea target Nainggolan settled the match with a goal Ibra would be proud of.
It was a case of the highest team in the world rankings against the biggest ego on the planet.
Zlatan knew it was win or bust.
While the boffins were crunching numbers to see who played who, it was simple for the Swedes – anything but a win and they were heading home.
It was the perfect stage for the Ponytailed Prince, who has saved some of his best moments for this competition.
In his previous three tournaments he scored six goals but the goals have dried up here in France.
He was the spearhead of a distinctly average Sweden team, who should have lost to Republic of Ireland and were no better against Italy.
Looking at their starting line-up and there was barely any support for their star, just a flat-pack four and in midfield was Kim Kallstrom, who rocked up to Arsenal with a broken back and was barely seen.
The only shining light has been Ibrahimovic and setting up Ciaran Clark’s own goal was their bright moment of the summer. Even their talisman can’t do it all on his own.
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To sum it up, in the second half Ibra played the perfect ball through but Marcus Berg couldn’t get his feet in the right order.
They really are a one-man show.
Incredibly, the fifth-minute chance for Berg was Sweden’s FIRST shot on target all tournament.
Unfortunately for Berg, who latched onto Kallstrom’s free-kick with a volley, Thibaut Courtois was down sharply to parry away.
It was a massive chance as there was quality right through the Belgian team.
It is difficult to see where their weak link is but they have problems too.
It is a mystery how they have stuttered their way into the next round instead of steamrollering teams.
Eden Hazard with the Red Devils’ armband can look like the Chelsea star of two seasons ago, not the flop of last campaign.
Ibrahimovic cannot get on the end of a cross for Sweden
They attack from all angles thanks to Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne, while Alex Witsel and Nainggolan will be over in England soon if big clubs have their way.
Ruthlessness is what they are lacking.
Lukaku, Witsel and De Bruyne gave Sweden warning signs with efforts just off target as Marc Wilmots’ side started to look threatening – but they needed to be more clinical.
De Bruyne also went close when he forced Andreas Isaksson into a drive with a long-range drive.
Zlatan was starved off the ball so came deep looking for it.
There were glimpses of goal when Thomas Vermaelen dashed back to tackle, or when he flicked the ball up and had a volley blocked by Toby Alderweireld.
And he got even closer when Berg teed him up from the edge of the box and his effort dragged wide.
But it was Belgium who looked more likely to end the frustration for goal-hungry jeering fans – and Thomas Meunier headed just wide.
When Zlatan finally put the ball in the net, ref Felix Brych pulled play back for a high boot from Berg.
He also had a 40-yard free-kick saved and a volley flash wide – but Nainggolan had the last word.
With six minutes left he was left along to collect Hazard’s cross and lash home with the outside of his boot.
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