With Serbia, there is always the sense that if they were a little bit more organized, Serbia can be world beaters. Even though the team finished first in a group that they weren't initially expected to top, coach Slavoljub Muslin was let go. Rumours suggest that his inability to incorporate some members of Serbian upcoming Golden Generation was the main reason for his sacking. The player most debated was Lazio's 100 million Euro rated Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.  The box-to-box midfielder was completed ignored by Muslin because he believed that he could not fit into his formation. The Serbian public is excited by an upcoming group of players made up of players who won the European U19 Championship and the U20 World Cup.  Milinkovic-Savic was on both teams, in their  U20 triumph he was even awarded the Bronze Ball as the third best player of the tournament. Andrija Živković is another star of this golden group, based in Benfica, much is expected of the winger who was first capped at just 17 becoming the youngest Serbian ever play for the senior national team. But the obsession with young champions can make one forget the quality that is already there, and there is a lot of quality. Nemanja Matić is a mainstay in Manchester United's midfield and is a two-time Premier League Champion. In Aleksandar Kolarov and Branislav Ivanović Serbia have two highly experienced defenders who are both captain material. Matija Nastasić is an always improving Bundesliga defender whose heroics this season ensured Schalke Champions League football. Dušan Tadić and Luka Milivojević are the star players on their respective Premier League teams. The temperamental Adem Ljajić who once turned the head of Sir Alex Fergerson has a lot to prove for his national team. The one player from the young starlets who appears most ready to mix it with the present class is Aleksandar Mitrović. The Newcastle forward for some reason was never able to convince Rafa Benitez, but with 6 World Cup qualification goals, he is expected to lead the line for the Serbs. In January, in a bid to get more playing time before the World Cup, Mitrović went on loan at Fulham and was outstanding, scoring 12 goals that were crucial as Fulham won promotion to the Premier League. 

Head Coach: Mladen Krstajić

Population: 7 million

Appearances: 12

Best: 3rd(1930)*Kingdom of Yugoslavia

How they Qualified: Serbia, Ireland and Wales all lost one game in their qualifying group. But it was the Serb's ability to grind out games that allowed them to manage the group well and finish on top. Aleksandar Mitrovic and Dusan Tadic both had 10 goals between them to lead the Serbian attack. 

Star Players: Nemanja Matic(Manchester United), Aleksandar Kolarov(AS Roma), Dusan Tadic-Southampton, Aleksandar Mitrovic(Newcastle), Branislav Ivanovic(Zenit St. Petersburg)

Wildcard: - Sergej Milinkovic-Savic-  is linked to almost every top club in Europe, and has a valuation of about 100 million euros. A player so highly rated by many of football's most experienced eyes was not by ex-manager Slavoljub Muslin. Muslin denial of Milinkovic-Savic's talent is what eventually cost him his job as it is clear to everyone else, how gifted the player is. How Serbia use him in the World Cup will be interesting, as there is pressure to play him. Does he start? Will he be used from the bench? The World Cup could be his stage to prove some of his doubters wrong. 

Legend:Dejan Stanković