Bayern Munich international goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was filmed while on vacation in Croatia singing a Croatian far-right song.
The video, released on Monday on the daily Bild’s website, shows the 2014 world champion on a boat in Dubrovnik with several friends, including Bayern goalkeepers’ coach Toni Tapalovic. They are singing “Lijepa li si” (“How beautiful you are”) by the controversial Croatian singer Marko Perkovic.
Known as “Thompson”, in reference to a submachine gun of the same brand, Perkovic is an admirer of the pro-Nazi Croat regime of the Ustashas. A few days after the 2018 World Cup final, the singer was on the selection bus which paraded in Zagreb with the players.
In this song, the singer enumerates different Croatian regions and alludes to “Herceg-Bosnia”, ephemeral Croatian republic of Bosnia, never recognized on the international scene and dissolved after the signing of the Dayton agreements in 1995.
The captain of Mannschaft and Bayern did not comment on the video at this stage, but his personal manager explained to Bild that the player did not speak Croatian and therefore did not understand the lyrics.
Contacted by AFP, the club has not yet commented.
This song is regularly sung by the ultra supporters of the Croatian selection. He had even been chosen by supporters as the official song of the selection during Euro 2016, a choice then validated by the Croatian federation but criticized by several anti-racist organizations.
The 34-year-old (95 caps) is currently on vacation for two weeks after winning an eighth consecutive German championship title with Bayern, as well as the national cup.
He will then resume training before hosting August 8 Chelsea in the knockout stages of the Champions League. The Bavarians won 0-3 in the first leg in London.
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