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Ivana Knoll at Al Bayt Stadium (left) and in a swimsuit on the streets of Qatar during the 2022 World Cup. Photo: Instagram / knolldoll |
Ivana Knoll, 33, became a global sensation at the 2022 World Cup, where she attended every match of the Croatian national team on their journey to win the bronze medal. With her striking appearance and bold fashion choices, she quickly became one of the most recognizable faces on the sidelines of the tournament in Qatar. Leveraging this immense popularity, Knoll is now actively pursuing an international DJ career under the stage name Knolldoll, having already performed with acclaimed French DJ David Guetta and recently at Madison Square Garden in New York.
The impact of the World Cup significantly boosted Ivana's social media presence. She currently boasts approximately 2,8 million followers on Instagram and continues her active role as a model. Her distinctive style and confident demeanor during the tournament were key factors in her rapid rise to fame.
As a DJ, the brunette beauty has toured numerous venues across the United States, Germany, Dubai, and Ibiza. In 2024, she was invited as a special guest at events for the F1 Grand Prix Canada in Montreal. Ivana is also scheduled to appear at the F1 Miami race in 2025; her new look and different hairstyle at a recent appearance surprised many fans. One of Ivana's first opportunities as a DJ came from an invitation by former Arsenal and Germany striker Lukas Podolski, where she performed at the Glücksgefühle music festival at the Hockenheimring racetrack in Germany, an event that also featured the Backstreet Boys.
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Ivana Knoll posing with DJ David Guetta. Photo: Instagram / knolldoll |
Sharing insights into her journey in the music industry, Ivana acknowledges that appearance can provide some initial advantages, but earning professional recognition is a different challenge. "You can easily get invitations to perform in some places thanks to your looks. However, building credibility in the DJ industry is not simple, as it remains a male-dominated field," she stated. According to Ivana, while biases against female DJs still exist, they are gradually changing. She believes women today do not need to hide their allure to be accepted in a professional environment.
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Ivana continued to capture attention at Euro 2024 in Germany, where she appeared in eye-catching outfits in the stands, reminiscent of the style that brought her fame two years prior at the World Cup. Beyond football, the Croatian beauty has expressed interest in other sports. In 2023, she publicly supported the French rugby team at the Rugby World Cup by posting images of herself in a bikini featuring the colors of the French flag on social media.
Despite her success, Ivana's life after the World Cup has not been without its challenges. In June 2024, she was involved in a controversy with German TV presenter Laura Wontorra following an appearance on MagentaTV.
Hong Duy (via Daily Mail)
