Zlatan Ibrahimovic embarks on, perhaps, his last match in a Sweden shirt when the Euro 2016 Group E match comes calling on Wednesday. Ibrahimovic announced he decision to retire from international football at the end of Euro 2016, and with Sweden's position pretty tricky at the moment, this match in Nice might very well be the great man's last international match.
If it is, Ibrahimovic will, at least want to make a mark – you feel if it ends up being memorable, then chances are that Sweden will progress into the next round, which will in turn prolong the former PSG striker's international career – something he hasn't quite been able to do so far in Euro 2016.
While Ibrahimovic was the one who forced the own goal off Ciaran Clark to salvage a point for Sweden in their first match of Euro 2016, the 34-year-old striker, who is expected to be on his way to Manchester United this summer, was rather disappointing against Italy, with the three centre-backs marshalling him pretty well.
The Belgium defence will not be quite as daunting to face, and that might just open up the opportunity for Ibrahimovic, and with it Sweden, to go through to the next round. Only a win will do for the Swedes, and with that in mind, manager Erik Hamren is expected to stick with pretty much the same starting XI.
Mikael Lustig missed the 1-0 loss to Italy, and is not likely to feature in this match as well, while the only real starting XI poser for Hamren is picking Ibrahimovic's strike partner. Marcus Berg got the nod in the first game, while John Guidetti played in the second.
After that awful performance against Italy, Belgium bounced back in style with a 3-0 win over the Republic of Ireland, with Kevin De Bruyne, in particular, catching the eye. De Bruyne is one of Belgium's most important players, and when the Manchester City man is in form, his team tick.
With Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku also finding their groove, Belgium look primed to pick up another win and join Italy in the last 16, but Marc Wilmots, the manager, will be wary of complacency.
Wilmots might be forced into a couple of changes, as well, with Mousa Dembele and Yannick Carrasco struggling with ankle injuries. Both were taken off in the 3-0 win, and if they do not get fit in time, Radja Nainggolan and Dries Mertens should take their places in the starting XI. Thomas Meunier was solid at right-back, so Laurent Ciman might stay on the bench.
Confirmed starting XI: Sweden: Isaksson; Lindelof, Johansson, Granqvist, Olsson; Larsson, Ekdal, Kallstrom, Forsberg; Berg, Ibrahimovic.
Belgium: Courtois; Meunier, Alderweireld, Vermaelen, Vertonghen; Nainggolan, Witsel; Carrasco, De Bruyne, Hazard; Lukaku.
