Zlatan Ibrahimovic was left concerned by the performance of one England player following Wednesday’s hard-fought 2-1 win over DR Congo.

Thomas Tuchel’s side survived a scare against the African nation at the Atlanta Stadium thanks to their talismanic captain Harry Kane, whose two second-half goals sealed a place in the last 16.

Brian Cipenga gave DR Congo a shock 1-0 lead in the seventh minute with a finish that beat England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford at his near post. England were then thwarted on several occasions by Lionel Mpasi, who produced a superb performance in between the sticks.

But with 15 minutes remaining, England were rescued by Kane, one of the leading contenders for the 2026 Ballon d’Or award. The Bayern Munich star secured the victory with a stunning winner in the 86th minute, setting up a daunting last 16 clash against joint-hosts Mexico at their famous fortress, the Azteca Stadium.

Zlatan Saw England Star ‘Struggling’

REUTERS/Jennifer Lorenzini

While Tottenham defender Djed Spence received criticism from fans and pundits alike for his unconvincing display, it was the performance of another England star that concerned former Sweden international Ibrahimovic.

Declan Rice played almost the entire game before he was subbed off in stoppage-time for John Stones. The all-action midfielder had a stint at right-back after Spence was subbed off but Zlatan believes the Arsenal man was “struggling” against DR Congo.

“We can discuss about details and that, but today I saw England suffering physically,” Ibrahimovic said on FOX Sports.

Indeed, Rice was seen icing his left hamstring after the final whistle, suggesting the 27-year-old is not in peak physical condition ahead of England’s toughest test so far, at altitude, on Sunday night.

Zlatan Questions England Expectation Levels

Reuters/Brett Davis

Zlatan also questioned the expectation levels currently placed on England, who haven’t won the World Cup since 1966.

“If you look at the history books, it was a long time ago that England won the World Cup,” the former Barcelona and Manchester United star said. “Is it a very good team, or a good team? That’s the question here.”

He added: “The fans are always very demanding, expecting a lot, especially the English media… but maybe they think highly about themselves and the reality is something else. You can only prove it in the big tournaments and by winning those trophies.

“Let’s see if Tuchel can do the mission impossible. I do believe the expectations are higher than what they really are.”

WWE always want to set up the most exciting clashes and storylines between their stars to entice and exhilarate their loyal followers.

As it is widely publicised, wrestling is a form of mock combat for entertainment, with roots in both competitive sport and dramatic theatre. The matches have narratives, are scripted, partially choreographed, and the result is predetermined long before the wrestlers enter the ring, which WWE was forced to admit back in 1989.

As such, the promotion arranges a wrestler’s next matches based on the most enticing plot which will gain them the best traction, and this is set to take place again.

Oba Femi’s Future Planned Out

Oba Femi is the current King of the Ring after defeating Jey Urso at Night of Champions in Riyadh on the 27th of June.

The Ruler took victory in Saudi Arabia by escaping a sleeper hold from Uso before hitting two running uppercuts, throwing the American across the ring. Femi then executed the Fall from Grace, obtaining the pinfall victory to clinch the honour.

The 28-year-old is a former two-time NXT champion and former one-time NXT North American champion. He won the NXT Men’s Breakout tournament in 2023 and the 2024 Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge, but it is in 2026 that he has seen his stock skyrocket, defeating Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 42. Lesnar is an established name in wrestling and holds the record for the most reigns as Universal Champion with three.

After winning the King of the Ring tournament, Femi should have a shot at the world championship with a match at SummerSlam, but it appears that this year, things are going to be a little different, as the Nigerian will be facing off against Lesnar when wrestling gets underway in Minneapolis in August.

Rather than facing the world heavyweight champion Roman Reigns or the new WWE champion Sami Zayn, Femi has chosen to challenge the 48-year-old wrestling stalwart.

It comes after Lesnar praised Femi for his King of the Ring win during their Raw segment this past week, before revealing he is aware of the comments the Nigerian has been making about him. As a result, the Lagos-born wrestler labelled him a b**** before challenging him to a bout at SummerSlam, which Lesnar readily accepted, choosing a Hell in a Cell match.

While Femi isn’t sacrificing his guaranteed world title shot, wrestling fans have been confused as to why he was made to earn the opportunity of the prestigious SummerSlam title match and then elect to take on Lesnar instead, but there is a strong argument for this.

Why Oba Femi Isn’t Going For Title at SummerSlam

According to the latest Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer believes that WWE are biding their time with Femi and gradually building to his crowning moment for a glorious spectacle at WrestleMania 43 rather than at SummerSlam.

Meltzer argued that the promotion wants to slowly develop his image into a ‘monster’ and went a step further, declaring that SummerSlam isn’t ‘strong enough’ for these kinds of match-ups anymore, labelling it ‘B-pay-per-view.’ In Meltzer’s opinion, the big wrestling stories have to take place at WrestleMania.

WrestleMania 43 isn’t due to take place until 2027, so it is a long time for Femi to wait for his title match. Regardless of his decision, though, he’ll first have to survive his third match-up with Lesnar, with the two tied at one apiece following their meetings at WrestleMania 42 and Clash in Italy.

Fans will have to wait with bated breath for the 1st and 2nd of August to see who takes the win in their rubber match, which could increase Femi’s stature even further.

Rangers have held talks with Serie A side Bologna over a deal to sign midfielder Lewis Ferguson, according to Chris Jack.

The Ibrox club have already undergone a major summer of change, with Danny Rohl leaving for RB Salzburg and being replaced by Derek McInnes, while James Tavernier and Jack Butland have departed, and the club have brought in Lawrence Shankland, Ross McCrorie, Ivor Pandur, Ben Godfrey, and Dan Neil following another trophyless campaign.

But McInnes is desperate to add some more leadership to his squad and wants a Scottish core, and has now targeted a move to bring in someone very popular within the Ibrox walls.

Rangers Eyeing Lewis Ferguson Deal

Ferguson, who has been described as ‘incredible’, was a regular at Aberdeen before making the move to Italy, where he has become the captain of Bologna in his four years at the club and helped them to lift their first trophy in 51 years last season. He was also crowned Serie A midfielder of the year in the 2023/24 season.

He also played every single minute of Scotland’s disappointing World Cup campaign under Steve Clarke this summer, and it’s understood that the midfield star is very open to a move to Rangers and back to his homeland.

Ferguson is well known at Ibrox, with his uncle being legendary midfielder Barry Ferguson, while his father, Derek, also played for the club during 1983 and 1990.

Speaking on the Rangers Review show, journalist Chris Jack revealed that Rangers are keen to bring him to Ibrox as part of their big rebuild this summer, and says that exploratory talks have already been held over a deal.

“Lewis Ferguson: Rangers held initial talks, opened discussions with Bologna a few weeks ago,” he said.

“But just an exploration, just to see where everyone stood. They are aware of the financials of that deal, what it’s going to cost for a transfer fee, and what it would cost in terms of wages.”

Ferguson Would Be Huge Statement Signing

Rangers know that the last two campaigns have simply not been good enough, and fans have been demanding major changes now for a while.

McInnes’ arrival has signalled their intent, and they have been active early in the window too as a result. But the potential arrival of Ferguson would not only be the cherry on top of the cake, but it would also be the foundation of a potentially title-winning team.

At 26 he is entering the absolute peak of his powers, and as someone with such a strong connection to the club, he will immediately understand the pressures and demands that come with it. It’s the perfect deal to start a new era at Ibrox, and Rangers should be doing all they can to ensure they can get it over the line.