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 Croatian fans raising banners towards Borion during the match


It has been reported that goalkeeper Milan Borion (35, Crvena Zvezda) of the Canadian soccer team received over 2,500 abusive text messages right after the game against Croatia.



In the second match of Group F of the 2022 Qatar World Cup held on the 28th, Croatia won 4-1, and Canada, the opponent, was eliminated from the group stage.



Croatia won a great victory, but some spectators shouted 'Ustasya' at the opposing goalkeeper, Milon Borian, and cursed throughout the game.



'Ustaša' is a term referring to the Croatian separatist movement that killed hundreds of thousands during World War II.



In addition, some Croatian fans watching the game from behind Borion raised a banner that read 'KNIN (Knin) 95. No one runs away as fast as Borion.'



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The story was like this.



Borian is a Croatian born in 1987 in Knin, Croatia.



When he was 7 years old, he left Croatia with his parents to escape the war in Yugoslavia.



After settling in Belgrade, Serbia, Borrian's family relocated to Hamilton, Ontario, Canada in 2000, where Borrian devoted himself to his football career.



Borian, who was mainly active in South America, such as Uruguay and Argentina, continued his career in the Serbian league from 2009.



This was his first World Cup finals appearance after wearing the Canadian national team uniform in 2010.



Croatian soccer fans branded Borion a 'traitor'.



The reason was that he not only plays in Serbia's professional league, which is in an arms race with Croatia, but he also played in the World Cup Croatia in a Canadian jersey.



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After the game, Borian was captured exchanging encouragement and friendship with the Croatian players.



He understands the reaction of the Croatian fans.



According to the Croatian media Bezernji, Borion said after the game, "I think my cell phone number was leaked." "I hope the Croatian national team will do their best during the World Cup and achieve good results."



(Photo = Twitter 'Sam Street' capture, Yonhap News)