Mats Hummels clarifies tweet about Dejan Lovren

Dejan Lovren is world class.

But don't take that from us, take it from Dejan Lovren himself. The Liverpool defender explained after helping Croatia through their World Cup semi-final against England on Wednesday that he believed he was now one of the best in his position in world football. Although not everyone will agree with this assessment, it seems his performances have impressed countryman Robert Kovac. The newly appointed Bayern Munich boss recently described Lovren's displays for his national side in Russia as being "outstanding", likening them to the way Jerome Boateng played for Germany as they became world champions in Brazil four years ago. Having seen Kovac's comments on Twitter, Mats Hummels, Boateng's Bayern and Germany teammate, tweeted that he had a response that he simply couldn't allow himself to post. https://twitter.com/matshummels/status/1018063147821944834 Although many interpreted this to be Hummels' way of saying Boateng was so excellent in the 2014 World Cup because he'd played beside him, others wrongly assumed the former Borussia Dortmund player was poking fun at Lovren in some way. With one reply pointing out that the Croatian had enjoyed a much more successful tournament than him, Hummels clarified that his tweet had not been a dig at the former Southampton star, acknowledging that he had been 'great' in Russia. 'I would not be against Dejan Lovren at all, totally different direction,' he tweeted.

'He plays a great World Cup. I would be the last not to acknowledge that.'

https://twitter.com/matshummels/status/1018082761989677056 Lovren is expected to start for Croatia in their first appearance in a World Cup final when they take on France in Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium on Sunday afternoon.