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Zlatan Ibrahimović launched a scathing attack on Noni Madueke during the opening half of England's 2026 World Cup quarterfinal victory against Norway, quipping that the winger had been outperformed by a potentially match-interfering overhead cable.
England defeated Norway 2–1 in extra time on Saturday to book a semifinal showdown with Argentina on Wednesday. Jude Bellingham's brace proved decisive in Miami, after Norway's Andreas Schjelderup had given his side the lead in the first half.
England had controlled possession in the opening stages, but lost their grip following the first hydration break before being undone by Schjelderup's stunning strike.
Bellingham's individual effort restored parity at the interval, though England's performance visibly declined after the hydration break, with Declan Rice—who had been battling illness throughout the week—among those clearly struggling in the sweltering and humid conditions.
Ibrahimovic's Brutal Madueke Critique
Appearing on Fox Sports's broadcast, Ibrahimović turned his attention squarely to Arsenal winger Madueke.
The characteristically blunt former Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United forward said: "I think they [England] are playing with one player less so far. Madueke has been on the pitch ... I have to say every time he gets the ball he makes the wrong decision, and he's walking on the pitch."
He added: "If I'm [Thomas] Tuchel, I change him because he's done nothing this first 45.
"Even the hydration break didn't help him ... They [England] started with one guy less."
When discussion later shifted to England's equalizer—which Norway's players argued had been scored after the ball made contact with an overhead camera wire—Ibrahimović quipped: "If it touched the cable, the cable had a better performance than Madueke, for sure."
Will Madueke Play for England Again This Summer?
Madueke was replaced by Bukayo Saka at the half-time interval, bringing a difficult afternoon to a close for the Arsenal wide man.
Overall, the 24-year-old completed just one of his three attempted dribbles and managed only one successful cross from three attempts. He was also caught offside once and penalized for a handball.
Across 45 minutes, he failed to create a single chance and contributed little to an England side desperately in need of inspiration.
Ibrahimović was far from alone in his criticism of Madueke, with the BBC's Alan Shearer commenting during the first half: "We need more from the right-hand side. How many times have we seen the ball switched out there?
"Six? Seven? And we have seen very little from Madueke in terms of crosses into the box."
Tuchel has shown a notably ruthless streak in his team selections throughout the tournament, having hauled off Marcus Rashford after an underwhelming hour against DR Congo in the round of 32.
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The 28-year-old has not featured for a single minute across the two World Cup games since, with Anthony Gordon now firmly established as the manager's first-choice left wing option.
Madueke could face a similar situation, though his remaining involvement may depend on the fitness of Saka, who has been managing an Achilles issue picked up earlier in the season.