When Poland and Sweden meet in a play-off on Tuesday, one of Robert Lewandowski or Zlatan Ibrahimovic will miss out on a place in the 2022 World Cup.
The winners in Chorzow will go into Friday’s draw for the World Cup group stage.
It could be the final chance to play at a World Cup for Swedish striker Ibrahimovic, who will be 41, and Poland’s Lewandowski, who will be 34, when the finals kick off in Qatar this November.
“A World Cup without Zlatan is not a World Cup,” said Ibrahimovic.
The veteran has endured an injury-blighted season and last played a full 90 minutes for his club AC Milan in January.
Sweden coach Janne Andersson said Monday that Ibrahimovic “is a weapon for us” as a substitute, but “can’t play the whole game”.
In contrast, Bayern Munich’s Lewandowski is in stellar form having scored 50 goals for club and country this season.
The Poland captain, a back-to-back winner of FIFA’s best men’s player award, took part in training Sunday after suffering a knee knock last week and is set to start in Chorzow.
