Dejan Lovren says former Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah is "sad" missing the World Cup.

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.

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!"