FIFA is now investigating a second video that has surfaced of Croatian defender Domagoj Vida shouting “Glory to Ukraine!”
ADVERTISEMENTCroatia's defender Domagoj Vida has apologised on Russian television for his "Glory to Ukraine" video, saying in an interview with Russia-24 that he was not surprised when he received boos from the crowd during Wednesday's semi-final.
"I am sorry. It's life; we learn from our mistakes," he said in Russian.
FIFA is investigating a second video that had surfaced of Vida shouting “Glory to Ukraine!” according to BBC.
Football's governing body already warned Vida after he made identical comments following his team's quarter-final win over Russia.
That footage appeared to show him alongside assistant coach Ognjen Vukojevic dedicating "the win for Dynamo and Ukraine".
Both Vida and Vukojevic, a former footballer of the Croatia team, played several years with Ukraine's Dynamo Kyiv.
The latest video shows Vida talking to the camera with a bottle of beer in his hand but it is unclear when it was recorded.
Political slogans or symbols are strictly forbidden by FIFA guidelines.
The comments are likely to have upset World Cup hosts Russia amid tensions with Ukraine over Moscow's 2014 annexation of Crimea and conflict in the Donbas region.
While Vida was warned by FIFA over the first video, Vukojevic was handed a €12,800 fine, which Ukraine's Football Federation has now offered to pay.
In the aftermath the Croatia Football Federation expelled Vukojevic and made a formal apology on behalf of its players.
Vida claimed he had not intended any political message.
"There's no politics in football. It's a joke for my friends from Dynamo Kiev," he told Russia’s Sport Express. "I love Russians and I love Ukrainians.”
Ukraine’s Embassy in the UK took to Twitter to defend the players and slam media interpretations of the phrase.
Vida is expected to play in the World Cup semi-final against England on Wednesday.