Zlatan Ibrahimovic predicts who will lift FIFA World Cup trophy; 'It's already written'

After an exciting set of group-stage matches and knockout games, it is now time for the FIFA World Cup 2022 semi-finals. The first semi will feature a blockbuster clash as 2018 finalists Croatia will take on 2014 finalists Argentina on December 13. The other semi also promises to be an enthralling contest as reigning champions France will take on dark horses Morocco on December 14.

Ahead of the two semi-finals, star Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has revealed his prediction about who will win the FIFA World Cup 2022 trophy.

'Messi will lift trophy': Zlatan on who will win FIFA World Cup

"I think it's already written who will win, and you know who I mean. I think Messi will lift the trophy, it's already written," said Zlatan Ibrahimovic (as quoted by Goal.com). Lionel Messi has been on fire in the FIFA World Cup 2022 as he has already scored four goals and provided two assists after just five games. And the Argentine captain would like nothing more but to go all the way in this tournament, having ended up as the finalist in 2014.

Momentum is building behind Messi’s push to cap his career with the biggest prize in the game. The 35-year-old Argentina playmaker has carried his team to the semifinals, almost in the same way Diego Maradona — the man with whom Messi is so often compared — led the South American nation to its second and most recent World Cup title in 1986.

Argentina had a horrific start to their FIFA World Cup 2022 campaign as they suffered a 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia in what will undoubtedly go down as one of the biggest upsets in the history of the tournament. Since then, an inspiring performance from captain Messi helped them win their last two group-stage games and progress to the knockouts of the tournament.

In the Round of 16, Argentina edged out Australia by a scoreline of 2-1 before they defeated the Netherlands on penalties by a scoreline of 4-3 (scores tied at 2-2 at the end of extra time), in what was a cracking quarter-final. But they will now face perhaps their biggest test against Croatia, who they lost by a scoreline of 3-0 in the 2018 edition of the FIFA World Cup.

(Inputs from AP)