Serbia kickoff their World Cup campaign on June 17 against Group E rival Costa Rica.
The Serbs will tangle with Switzerland five days later before wrapping up the group stage against Brazil. Although drawn in a difficult group, the team has the chance to play its toughest group opponent last. Will it help Serbia qualify for the tournament or will they go home early?
The Serbs missed out on the World Cup four years ago. However, the national team rebounded by topping its UEFA World Cup qualifying group with 21 points from 30. It was a difficult group that saw the Serbians get the best of Ireland, Wales and Austria. Now, the team go into Russia with a difficult task of getting through Group E.
Some of the names included in the Serbian team will sound very familiar to football fans. Nemanja Matic, Aleksandar Kolarov and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic are just three of the players making up the Serbia team.
Kolarov will wear the armband and his experience will be invaluable to the team. The full-back will be tasked with getting up and down the left flank and crossing the ball into the team's striker corps. Aleksandar Mitrovic comes into the tournament in great form. The striker helped Fulham win promotion to the Premier League and during his half season loan to the club he scored 12 goals in 17 matches. He struggled at the Premier League level with Newcastle prior to his move. There are questions over whether he can adapt to the World Cup level. He does have 13 international goals in 36 appearances. Mitrovic will need to get his head and feet to Kolarov's crosses.
Goalkeeper and defending will be Serbia's biggest Achille's heel. The team will be up against three well versed attacking teams. Serbia will not only lean on Kolarov in defence, but 34-year-old Branislav Ivanovic. The former Chelsea defender isn't the player he once was and he could be a liability at the back for Serbia. Although experienced, Serbia's starting defensive unit could all be over 32, depending on which four-man backline manager Mladen Krstajic selects.
Currently ranked 35th in the world, Serbia have secured just two friendly wins since World Cup qualifying finished. Those wins came against China and Nigeria. Serbia lost 1-0 to Chile in a recent World Cup tune-up match. It was a decent performance that saw Serbia give up an 88th minute goal. The team will play one last warm-up fixture against Bolivia before the tournament kicks off.
Serbia have the chance to shock everyone and make it through Group E. The national team has some talented players and names that many football fans will know. But the team's defence won't have the pace to keep up with the likes of Brazil and Costa Rica. The team just isn't as good as the rest of the group and another group stage exit is likely.