Traditionally a nation that has produced a huge number of gifted teams and players, as Yugoslavia and Serbia & Montenegro, Serbia is looking to qualify for its first tournament. Currently in a hotly-contested group featuring Portugal and Poland this is a realistic but far from easy task, made easier by June’s victory over qualification rivals Finland in Helsinki.

With matches against Belgium on 22 August and Portugal on 12 September, the outcome of their campaign may well be clear by October and Serbia will need to rely on talent such as Manchester City transfer target Nikola Žigić to produce the goals that they need to take them into the top two of Group A and the finals next summer.