Lovren insists critics ‘hate Croatia’ after ex-Liverpool star accused of ‘shouting’ Nazi salute equivalent

Former Liverpool centre-back Dejan Lovren has been accused of singing a fascist anthem as Croatia celebrated their World Cup campaign.

Lovren, who played every minute of Croatia’s World Cup campaign except their third-place play-off win over Morocco, was filmed alongside compatriot Marcelo Brozovic making a gun gesture and accused of singing along to an anthem which starts with the phrase ‘Za Dom Spremni’.

Translated as ‘Ready for the Homeland’, the salute was used by the fascist Ustase movement during the Second World War, and is equivalent to the Nazi salute ‘Sieg Heil’, according to Italian outlet Corriere della Sera.

Smajo Beso, a former Bosnian refugee and now lecturer at Newcastle University, tweeted: ‘This is former @LFC defender Dejan Lovren & @intermilan player Marcelo Brozovic singing “Za Dom Spremni” (For homeland – ready).’

Lovren, who chanted the same line after the 2018 World Cup and faced no punishment, claimed the “wretched” people who have criticised his antics “hate everything that is Croatian”.

24sata report him as saying: “A handful of wretched, miserable and jealous people, they hate everything that is Croatian. Actually, they hate themselves first.

“They were disgusted last night when I sang “Are you beautiful” in front of the whole of Croatia. I don’t understand how they work in Croatia?”

The song is popularised by Marko Prkovic – nicknamed Thompson after the machine gun – who is known in Croatia for his far-right leanings.

Perkovic won a legal battle back in 2020, as the courts in Croatia ruled that he was allowed to chant ‘Za Dom Spremni’ at his concerts and it was not a violation of public order.

Earlier in the tournament, the Croatia squad were filmed at a team dinner singing Perkovic’s songs, but Lovren and Brozovic are the only two to have been seen singing the ‘Za Dom Spremni’ line.

Croatia publication Jutarnji.hr reported: ‘Lovren and Brozović shouted Ustasa slogans and sang songs by Marko Perkovic Thompson at a private party.’

Now playing for Zenit St Petersburg, Lovren will have a break before he returns to action for the Russian side at the end of February.

MAILBOX: Can we all now agree that Emiliano Martinez is an actual c***? Strong words…