Josip Simunic to miss World Cup after losing 10-game ban appeal

Croatia defender Josip Simunic will miss the World Cup after losing his appeal to Fifa against a 10-match ban for discriminatory behaviour.

Dinamo Zagreb's Simunic, 36, led Croatia fans in a chant with pro-Nazi connotations following November's 2-0 World Cup play-off win over Iceland.

The Australia-born veteran can appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Simunic is banned from being in the stadiums for the games, as well as from playing.

The national side play hosts Brazil in the opening game of the 2014 World Cup on 12 June.

Following the win over Iceland in Zagreb, Simunic, who has 105 caps for his country, shouted "for the homeland" over a microphone, to which fans respond "ready".

The chant has associations with the Ustasha, a fascist movement which was banned in 1945.

Former Hertha Berlin player Simunic is Croatia's third-most capped player and has played in two World Cups and three European Championships.