Riyadh: Swedish football star Zlatan Ibrahimovic has given Qatar 10 out of 10 for its organization of the 2022 World Cup.
The 41-year-old player was responding to a journalist’s question during a press conference on Tuesday ahead of Sweden’s European Championship qualifier against Belgium on Friday.
Ibrahimovic, currently preparing for the game at his country’s national team camp, appeared surprised when asked about the Qatari competition as Sweden had not taken part in the tournament.
He said: “It was fantastic. As awesome as it gets. I was there for two days with the family.”
The Milan striker rated different aspects of Qatar.
“The organization: 10 points. The experience: 10 points. The match: 10 points. Crowd: 10 points. The food: 10 points. The journey: 10 points. Everything was 10 points,” he added.
Ibrahimovic, Sweden’s team captain, gave the journalist a teasing smirk before asking him if he had been looking for another answer, to which the reporter referenced alleged human rights abuses. Ibrahimovic stuck to his rating and gave it yet another “10 points.”
In a previous interview, with broadcaster SVT, about Qatar, he said: “Qatar as a country, I think it is a system that works. Are there drugs? No. Is there crime? No. Is there crime in Sweden? Yes, very much. Drugs? Yes.
“Qatar’s system works. The Swedish system? It works, but if it works 100 percent, I don’t know,” he added.
Qatar’s organization of the World Cup as the first Arab country won the praise of FIFA president, Gianni Infantino, who described the 2022 edition as the “best” in the tournament’s history.