Zlatan Ibrahimovic has tipped the Ivory Coast as a squad to monitor closely during the knockout phases of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The retired Swedish forward, who played for clubs like Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United, suggests the Elephants possess significant potential to disrupt the tournament.
Speaking on Fox following Ivory Coast’s 2-0 victory over Curacao, which secured their place in the Round of 32, Ibrahimovic highlighted their resilient performance against Germany. Despite falling to a loss in that matchup, he observed that the contest was tightly fought and could have shifted in their favor.
Ibrahimovic stated that the team remains a serious threat moving forward. He warned future opponents to approach matches against them with caution, noting that the African side has earned legitimate respect through their gameplay.
