Croatian model hits cloud nine over Brazil exit

Croatian Instagram model Ivana Knoll is celebrating her country’s shock quarter-final win, as they sealed a 4-2 penalty shoot-out victory over favourites Brazil.

Knoll, who was previously crowned Miss Croatia, has been attracting plenty of attention in the Middle East after jetting over for the major tournament had revealed stadium security in Qatar prevented her from taking photos with fans ahead of her country’s World Cup quarter-final against Brazil.

During Croatia’s opening fixture, a group of grinning Qatari fans could be seen taking pictures of the 30-year-old as she walked down stairs in a red and white bikini top and tight red leggings.

Yet Mohammed Hassan Al-Jefairi, a prominent Qatari entrepreneur, later claimed the men were only snapping away because they disapproved of her outfit.

Knoll is in attendance for Croatia’s pivotal showdown with Brazil in Al Rayyan on Friday, where the two countries are battling it out for a potential semi-final clash against Holland or Argentina.

However, before kick-off at the Education City Stadium the scantily-dressed model was asked by security guards not to take any photos of herself or with fans.

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She told Bild: ‘They don’t allow the fans to take photos with me or pose for photos down here on the railing. I then asked them why they were so rude” said Knoll who has 1.8 million Instagram followers.

Her racy outfits are somewhat at odds with Qatar’s usual modesty laws, which urges women to cover their shoulders and avoid wearing short skirts.

The social-media star has not exactly complied with those instructions, though up until being stopped by security on Friday she had been enjoying herself in the country.