Croatia's World Cup qualification celebrations have been marred by apparent pro-Nazi chants by fans by Australian-born and raised defender Joe Simunic.
Croatia qualified for the World Cup with a 2-0 win over Iceland on Tuesday. Video footage shows Simunic taking a microphone to the field after the match and shouting to the fans: "For the homeland!" The fans respond: "Ready!"
That was the war call used by Ustashas, the Croatian pro-Nazi puppet regime that ruled the state during World War II when tens of thousands Jews, Serbs and others perished in concentration camps.
Simunic defended his action, saying "some people have to learn some history. I'm not afraid."
"I did nothing wrong. I'm supporting my Croatia, my homeland," the 35-year-old defender said.
"If someone has something against it, that's their problem."
The same chant coupled with the Nazi salute has often been used by Croatian fans in the past.
FIFA and UEFA have often fined the Croatian Football Association because of their behaviour.
There was no immediate reaction from FIFA to the latest incident.
At the 2006 World Cup, Simunic was the player who received three yellow cards against the Socceroos before being sent off.
Simunic grew up in Australia and earned a scholarship at the AIS.
He played his early football for the Melbourne Knights in the NSL before moving to Europe and eventually declaring his allegiance to Croatia, where his parents were born.
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