Sweden 'keeper: 'Individualist' Ibrahimovic could disrupt team

Sweden international Karl-Johan Johnsson addressed reports of Zlatan Ibrahimovic's potential return to the national team for the World Cup, and the second-choice shot-stopper reckons the star forward could disrupt the team.

"As a team, we play as a collective, all the players together. With Zlatan, as a person, as a player he's an individualist, and the play goes around him," Johnsson told Main Oppose. "Instead, now, we play more as a team all together."

Ibrahimovic, who joined the LA Galaxy on March 23, sparked rumours that he would enlist with Sweden two years after his international retirement during an appearance on American late night program "Jimmy Kimmel Live." The towering striker offered, "I just said I'm going to the World Cup, If I say more, people will hang me, so I have to be careful what I say now." Speculation that Ibrahimovic will play has also been boosted by his recent World Cup endorsement deal with VISA.

"It's up to the coach to see if he wants to bring him," Johnsson, who plies his trade for Ligue 1's Guingamp, added. "We managed to qualify and go through to the World Cup without him, and I think we can manage to play well at the World Cup without him. But as I said, it's up to the coach to decide if he wants him to join, and I'm sure if he does join, he will play well.

"I don't know if the coach wants such a big change, because he'll have to change the whole system of how he wants to play."

Sweden kicks off Group F play on June 18 against South Korea before tilts with reigning champ Germany and then Mexico.