Zlatan Ibrahimovic wont play in FIFA 2018, says Swedish FA

The Swedish FA have officially confirmed that Zlatan Ibrahimovic will not be coming out of international retirement for FIFA World Cup 2018.

"I spoke to Zlatan on Tuesday, and he said that he hasn't changed his mind about the national team - it's a no," Lasse Richt, chief of staff for the national team, said in a statement.

There were speculations that Sweden's record goalscorer Ibrahimovic might overturn his decision and mark a comeback in the 21st football World Cup which is scheduled to take place in Russia.

Zlatan had retired in the year 2016 after the 2016 European Championships in France and been plagued by a knee injury for almost a year.

Recently he played brilliantly his debut match for MLS club Los Angeles Galaxy against Los Angeles FC and scored a stunner.

"Zlatan Ibrahimovic is in that case, for the same reason as with previous national team gatherings, not under consideration for the World Cup squad that national team coach Janne Andersson will announce on May 15," the statement went on.

Sweden booted out Italy to qualify for the World Cup and was placed on Group F campaign with South Korea, Germany and Mexico.