'I'm sad' - Dejan Lovren makes claim about 'jealous' former Liverpool team-mate Mohamed Salah
Dejan Lovren has joked former Liverpool team-mate Mohamed Salah will turn up for the World Cup waving a Croatia flag
Dejan Lovren has claimed former Liverpool team-mate Mohamed Salah is "jealous" of his World Cup participation - and joked the Egyptian will turn up for the tournament brandishing a Croatia flag.
Lovren and Salah struck up a strong friendship during three years playing together at Anfield which has continued despite the former having moved to Zenit St Petersburg in July 2020.
The defender played in the World Cup final for Croatia in 2018 and helped his country reach the finals in Qatar where they will open their campaign against Morocco on Wednesday.
READ MORE: Liverpool frustration could persuade Gareth Southgate to make unlikely England change
READ MORE: 'The way football works today' - Graeme Souness sends Liverpool Jude Bellingham transfer warning
Salah, though, will not feature at the tournament after Egypt were beaten in their qualifying play-off in March against Senegal for whom former Reds colleague Sadio Mane - who will now be absent from Qatar due to injury - scored the winning penalty in the decisive shoot-out.
And asked if Salah was jealous of him being at the World Cup, Lovren said on Sunday: "100%. I would also be jealous.
"What's he been saying? That he will support me. I mean, it's nice to hear that, but to be honest I'm sad that he didn't qualify.
"He was so close, but Mane was better. He has said he will come... with a Croatia flag!"
READ NEXT
- Tom Werner has already hinted at Liverpool January transfer plans amid FSG sale talk
- How players linked with Liverpool during the summer transfer window have performed
- Liverpool have done 'major work' on Ruben Neves and Konrad Laimer before January transfer window
- Andy Robertson is just about to break a Premier League record his Liverpool team-mate will own
- Steve Ballmer 'stance' on Liverpool sale emerges from new reports in USA