Zlatan Ibrahimovic defends Lionel Messi after Club World Cup exit

Former Swedish footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovic defended Lionel Messi, saying he plays with ‘statues’ at Inter Miami, following Miami's exit from the FIFA Club World Cup in the round of 16.

Messi’s Inter Miami was knocked out of the Club World Cup by Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), outclassing the Herons 4-0 on Sunday.

Ibrahimovic, who was Messi’s teammate at Barcelona, is not impressed with Miami players. The former said it was not Messi’s defeat, it was the team, the Argentine legend playing with ‘statues’.

"It wasn't Leo Messi who lost; it was Inter Miami," Ibrahimovic said.

"Messi plays with statues, not teammates. He's surrounded by players who run as if they were carrying bags of cement."

Ibrahimovic, who represented the LA Galaxy in MLS for a short period of time, said there is no big star with Messi who can support him; he is playing alone.

"This isn't the Messi I know," he said.

"If you put him in a real team, he'd go all-out. There are no coaches, no stars, not even players who understand how to move without the ball. If he were on a real team, any great team, you'd see the real lion.

"Messi plays alone because he loves the game, because he can still do what 99% of players can't. But this isn't the Messi I know."

Miami became the first MLS team to beat a European club in an official tournament and to advance to the knockout stage of the Club World Cup.

Messi, the captain of Miami, said that the unit tried their best and they have left a good image behind.

"It was the game we expected," Messi, 38, said after the loss to PSG.

"We tried to do the best possible and we left a good image at the Club World Cup level."