‘World Cup’s hottest fan’ Ivana Knoll issues warning if Croatia win the World Cup after mocking Brazil star Richarlison
THE World Cup’s “hottest fan” has denied reports that she had promised to strip naked if her team win the tournament.
Croatian model Ivana Knoll, 30, was quoted as telling the German press that she would get naked as a reward for her team if they win the World Cup.
The German-born brunette, who was wearing a Croatian flag at the time, was reported as saying: “If that happens, the flag falls…”
But the model and businesswoman, who has taken the Qatar competition by storm with her racy red-and-white outfits, has since denied that she would bare all for her country.
Taking to her Instagram story, Ivana wrote in a mixture of English, Croatian, and German: “Fake news! The lies of the media. I don’t take off my shirt if Croatia wins the championship.”
She went on: “I will not get naked if Croatia wins the World Cup. Thank you!”
It comes as Ivana celebrated reaching two million followers on Instagram, just eight days after she hit the one million milestone.
“Thank you so so much! Love you all,” she posted on her Instagram story.
Ivana also trolled Brazil’s Richarlison, after Croatia knocked the five-times World Cup champions out in the Quarter-Finals on penalties.
Imitating the Spurs striker’s signature pigeon dance, she accompanied the video with the savage message: “Do your pigeon dance on your way back home.”
Ivana was in the stadium to watch her team knock out Brazil, setting up a mouth-watering semi-final clash with Lionel Messi’s Argentina on Tuesday at 7pm.
But her outfits haven’t gone over well with everyone in the World Cup host nation, where both men and women are expected to cover up.
Ivana designs and sells her own bikinis, swimsuits, and other revealing clothing, all in the distinctive red-and-white chequerboard pattern of the Croatian flag.
She previously made a splash at the 2018 World Cup in Russia where her outfits were noticed.
Ivana claimed she wasn’t aware of the rules on clothing in Qatar, saying: “First I was thinking if the World Cup is happening there, they for sure will allow everything to make it comfortable for all fans without any of their restrictions.
“Then I heard about the rules and I was shocked. In the dress code, you’re forbidden from showing your shoulders, knees, belly and neck.
“I was like, ‘OMG, I don’t even have clothes covering that all’.”
She went viral recently when two men in traditional white Arab thobes were caught sneakily snapping Ivana as she walked past them in the stadium.
But she told host Piers Morgan on TalkTV that she had encountered no problems with her outfit choices in Qatar, and even had families with children asking to take pictures with her.
She appeared to be stopped by Qatari security ahead of the Brazil-Croatia game when a man and women in official World Cup tabards could be seen in deep discussion with her in the stands.
But she was able to watch the full game following the conversation with the stewards.
With Croatia now at least guaranteed a Third Place playoff match, Ivana’s World Cup dream is set to continue.