Serbia World Cup profile: Guide to record, manager, path to final, team news, latest odds and star man

SERBIA are back at a major finals after eight long years away - and are looking to push on after an impressive qualifying campaign.

They've never progressed past the group stages (except as part of Yugoslavia) and will be hopeful of making a real go of things in Russia.

9

9

Here's all you need to know about the Group E side, who will face Brazil, Costa Rica and Switzerland in their opening three games.

In a nutshell: Just one defeat in ten qualifying matches saw Serbia through to their first major tournament since the 2010 World Cup, beating Wales and the Republic of Ireland to first place in their group.

Flag: Take the Russian flag and turn it upside down. Add a national crest. Stir.

Population: Seven million.

9

Nickname: The Eagles. Not to be confused with disappointing Premier League outfit nor a best-selling band from the 1970s.

Manager: Mladen Krstajic stepped in at short notice when the manager that took them to the finals, Slavoljub Muslin, was sacked after qualification over his team’s style of play (or lack of it) and some of his team selections. Tough crowd or what?

World Cup news

Man Utd vs Southampton

Utd look to claim first Prem win of year against struggling Saints

NAKED TRUTH

Pics that got Lazio falconer sacked emerge after he boasted about penis implant

HOLLYWOOD DREAM

US superstar reveals shock career change as he plots Hollywood blockbusters

CAN'T STAND THE HEAT

Bake Off star facing legal action after he failed to turn up for work

9

Captain: The former Manchester City defender, now playing at Roma, Aleksandar Kolarov.

Star Man: Manchester United’s Nemanja Matic. The classy midfielder has been one of the Red Devils’ undoubted plus points this season and will hope to take his form with him to Russia.

Rising star: Aleksandar Mitrovic. Yes, him. He’s a new player since his loan move to Fulham and can’t stop scoring at the moment. He’s already got 11 in 33 games for Serbia too.

Most caps: The Red Star Belgrade, Lazio and Inter Milan legend, Dejan Stankovic (103).

9

9

All-time top scorer: Stjepan Bobek. He scored 38 times in 63 games for the former Yugoslavia.

Nice kit? Made by Puma, it’s a simple red shirt with white crew neck and white stripes on the shoulders. Someone will have to change when they play Costa Rica, that’s for sure.

Most offensive haircut? The goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic’s Alice band makes him look like an extra from Fame.

Any names we can laugh at like kids? Not really, sorry.

9

9

Rivals? Croatia. Derbies rarely get more heated than when these two go head to head. Expect heavy security if these two should happen to meet later in the tournament.

National anthem: Boze Pravde (God of Justice) was Serbia’s original anthem until 1918 and was reinstated in 2006.

Sample lyric:
On our sepulchre of ages
Breaks the resurrection morn,
From the slough of direst slavery
Serbia anew is born.

9

National dish: Cevapi is a kind of skinless sausage served with flatbread a.k.a. a sausage butty.

National drink: Fancy a wee shot of the plum brandy that is šljivovica? No, me neither.

World Cup Finals Record: P43 W17 D8 L18 F64 A59 (combined as Yugoslavia, Serbia and Montenegro and Serbia)

World Cup Win Ratio: 39.53%

Best World Cup Performance: 4th (as part of Yugoslavia in 1930 and 1962) and they’ve never got out of their group as Serbia.

FIFA World Ranking: 34

Path to final: Serbia are expected to be fighting for second, which would likely set up a last 16 match with a Germany side they beat in the 2010 World Cup.

A quarter-final against any of England, Belgium, Poland, Senegal and Colombia would then follow before a likely semi-final with Spain or Argentina.