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Croatia defender Dejan Lovren hit out at punk band Pussy Riot after they invaded the pitch during the World Cup Final.

Four people made their way on to the field with Croatia trailing 2-1 against France in Moscow.

Lovren pushed a male protester, helping a steward to detain him, and later revealed his anger as his side went on to lose 4-2.

"I really was mad because we'd been playing at that moment in good shape," he said.

"We'd been playing good football and then some interruption came. I just lost my head and I grabbed the guy and I wished I could throw him away from the stadium."

(Image: REUTERS) (Image: Getty Images Europe)

One protester made it to the centre circle but all four were quickly tackled by security, and the match resumed after a delay of about one minute.

The women of Pussy Riot, a Russian punk rock group, rose to global prominence with their daring outdoor performances critical of Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2012 that sent two members to prison for nearly two years.

The punk band said in a statement posted on their Twitter feed that the disruption was a protest.

The four people, three women and one man, who charged on to the field in the 52nd minute simultaneously in what appeared to be old-fashioned police uniforms were tackled to the ground by stewards.

(Image: REX/Shutterstock) (Image: PA)

Before being hauled away, one woman managed to reach the centre of the field and share a double high-five with France forward Kylian Mbappe, who had a shot saved a minute earlier.

"Hello everyone from the Luzhniki field, it's great here," the group said on Twitter, and released a statement calling for the freeing of political prisoners, an end to "illegal arrests" of protesters and to "allow political competition" in Russia.