Veteran AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic was named in Sweden’s squad for next month’s World Cup qualifier on Tuesday despite an ongoing problem with the Achilles tendon.
Ibrahimovic, who turns 40 on Sunday, is in the group that will face Kosovo and Greece in Group B matches on 9 and 12 October. Sweden is currently second in the group, four points behind leader Spain.
Sweden’s top scorer with 62 in 118 matches, “Ibra” came out of an almost five-year international retirement in March in order to go to the euro, although a knee injury eventually excluded him from the tournament.
He returned to the pitch with AC Milan against Lazio on September 12, but pain in the Achilles tendon has put him off, both for Sweden and Milan.
Meanwhile in South America, Lionel Messi headlines Argentina’s squad for three qualifiers in October, which were announced on Monday.
The Argentines leave for Paraguay on October 7 before receiving Uruguay three days later and ending against Peru on October 14, also in Buenos Aires.
Argentina, with 18 points, is second in the standings behind Brazil, which has collected 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 despite the country being on Britain’s coronavirus red list.