"World's most beautiful footballer" Ana Maria Markovic shows off her bikini body in a close-up photo as stunned fans gasp in awe

A bikini picture of Ana Maria Markovic has wowed fans online, confirming that she has built up a huge following.

The 23-year-old post two pictures to her 2.9 million-following Instagram account.

Markovic shows off her bikini top as she is standing in some shade on a beach while the snaps are from a holiday to Lisbon, Portugal, which she captioned: “Take me back please.”

The snaps were well received by her fans, who flocked to the comment section.

One fan gushed: “You’re simply irresistible!”

A second wrote: “Oh beautiful woman!” and a third wrote: “Beautiful.”

A fourth wrote: “Amazing angel.” A fifth added: “I adore you.”

While another pinned: “So amazing.”

During a recent visit to the Laganini Beach Club in Okrug Gornji, Croatia, the Croatian footballer stunned fans by posing for a picture with her tongue out.

Following an injury picked up while playing for Grasshopper in March, Markovic will not return to action for an extended period.

In a previous interview with 20 Minuten, she said: “I like articles that call me the most beautiful footballer – or one of the most beautiful – because it makes me happy to hear that I’m beautiful.

“But then there are articles describing me as the ‘sexiest’ player in football. That doesn’t sit well with me. Also, because of my family.”