Serbia booked their place at the World Cup in Qatar in dramatic fashion when Aleksandar Mitrovic scored a 90th-minute winner against Portugal in the final qualifying match.
They are yet to make it beyond the group stage as an independent nation but recently earned promotion to the top tier of the Nations League and look capable of a run into the knockout stages.
Here’s everything you need to know about Serbia…
Coach: Dragan Stojkovic. Featured in two World Cups as a player for Yugoslavia and took over last year.
Captain: Dusan Tadic. His floating style is the perfect foil to the traditional forwards ahead of him.
Star player: Aleksandar Mitrovic. Brilliant for Fulham this season, he has 50 goals in 76 international appearances but is a doubt for their opening match due to a foot injury.
One to watch: Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. The Lazio star is a huge presence in midfield, any sign of form will intensify inevitable Premier League links.
World ranking: 21
Odds: 90/1
Best thing about them: No shortage of options up front with Mitrovic, Dusan Vlahovic and Luka Jovic.
Worst thing about them: Concerns over how the defence will hold up against the likes of Brazil, with all the star quality in midfield and attack.
Their prospects in three words: Dark horse credentials.
Fixtures (all times GMT)
- November 24 vs Brazil (7pm)
- November 28 vs Cameroon (10am)
- December 2 vs Switzerland (7pm)
Squad in full
Goalkeepers: Marko Dmitrovic, Predrag Rajkovic, Vanja Milinkovic-Savic
Defenders: Stefan Mitrovic, Nikola Milenkovic, Strahinja Pavlovic, Milos Veljkovic, Filip Mladenovic, Strahinja Erakovic, Srdan Babic
Midfielders: Nemanja Gudelj, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Sasa Lukic, Marko Grujic, Filip Kostic, Uros Racic, Nemanja Maksimovic, Ivan Ilic, Andrija Zivkovic, Darko Lazovic
Forwards: Dusan Tadic, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Dusan Vlahovic, Filip Duricic, Luka Jovic, Nemanja Radonjic
