Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has claimed that football supporters would prefer to see him play at next year's World Cup instead of Cristiano Ronaldo.

Sweden face Ronaldo's Portugal in Lisbon in the first leg of their playoff tie on Friday evening.

Ibrahimovic has said that he is determined to qualify for next summer's tournament in Brazil.

"I think that the World Cup needs Zlatan more than Ronaldo," Ibrahimovic is quoted as saying by Football365.com.

"The excitement I can bring to the game and the goals I can score - nobody can rival me for that. I believe the fans would want to see me there above anybody. I respect him as a player - he is one of the best. The World Cup needs to have the best players.

"It is a shame for the World Cup that one of myself or Ronaldo will not be in Brazil. I just need to make sure I do everything over the next two games to make sure that it is him who misses out and not myself."

The second leg will take place in Stockholm on November 19.