Zlatan Ibrahimovic on Noni Madueke: "The cable played better than him"

Swedish football legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic made sharp critical comments about winger Noni Madueke following England's victory over Norway in the World Cup quarter-finals. Known for his outspoken nature, the former striker mocked the player's performance by citing a strange technical glitch that occurred during the match. This is reported by Goal.com reports.

It turns out that during the game, the ball hit the cable of the 'spidercam' above the pitch. According to Goal.com, Ibrahimovic remarked on the situation, emphasizing that Madueke's efficiency on the field was lower than that of the inanimate wire. "If the ball hit the cable, then that cable played a better game than Madueke," Zlatan joked sarcastically.

Thomas Tuchel's decision and Ibrahimovic's demand

Madueke, who started in place of the injured Bukayo Saka, failed to capitalize on his opportunity, according to Ibrahimovic. During analysis on Fox Sports, the Swedish star claimed that England was effectively playing with ten men. According to him, the Arsenal representative made the wrong decision every time he received the ball and was simply walking around the pitch.

Ibrahimovic called for a quick substitution from England manager Thomas Tuchel at halftime. "If I were in Tuchel's place, I would have replaced him immediately because he did nothing in the first 45 minutes," the former striker said. Interestingly, the German coach did exactly that, bringing on Bukayo Saka for Madueke at the start of the second half.

England's path to the semi-finals

Although Noni Madueke faced criticism, the England national team defeated Norway thanks to a brace from Jude Bellingham, securing a spot in the semi-finals. Now, the 'Three Lions' will face Argentina for a place in the final. However, finding a worthy replacement for Saka remains a serious headache for Tuchel.

These criticisms are naturally an interesting topic for football fans, as the inconsistency of young talents like Madueke in major tournaments often affects the team's overall result. Ibrahimovic's 'brutal' outbursts always cause a major resonance in the football world.