Taika Waititi hit a nerve with English football supporters after he tweeted 'lol' in response to England's loss to Italy at the Euro 2020 tournament.
The Kiwi filmmaker also shared a shocking video of a huge brawl breaking out amongst angry fans at Wembley Stadium following the match with the caption: "Yeah, cool country, mate."
Waititi also chimed in with "Brexit, stage left," but it was those three little letters, l-o-l, that prompted the most fury from the English fans still licking their wounds.
"Are you kidding me? You're from NZ and you're trying to lose a load of English fans?" one Twitter user replied.
"Look Taika you are a great actor and director and I really like your work but respectfully f**k off it's not the time," said another.
"Not big, not clever. Go and sit back down," wrote a third.
"Do you have to be so trackless? [sic]," another asked, presumably meaning to write 'tactless'.
"I think I speak for most English people when I say we love your movies and you in general... I'm certain you couldn't care less but I'm very disappointed in this reaction Taika."
Meanwhile, the other half of the Twitter comments urged footy fans to remain calm, and not take the Thor: Ragnarok director's gags so personally.
"It wasn't a tragic disaster, it was a sports game where some people kick around a ball on some grass, have some perspective," one tweet read.
"Guys, it's just a bunch of grown men kicking a ball. Taika saying lol ain't that deep."
Jokes aside, Waititi described the footage of the brawl following the match as "really sad", after actor Josh Gad retweeted him, writing "this is unbelievably messed up".
