EURO 2024 TEAM GUIDE - Serbia: Aleksandar Mitrovic will be relied heavily upon at their first Euros as an independent nation... as they look to upset England at Championship

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Serbia are set to participate at their first-ever European Championship as an independent nation this summer, and are looking to make their mark.

Following their declaration of independence in 2006, the country failed to reach four tournaments in a row, but will finally take part at this summer's competition in Germany.

They were always going to face a difficult task getting to the knockout stages, but the draw - and format - will potentially give them hope of doing so. Four third-place teams will reach the last 16, and one win in the groups could go a long way.

The Eagles aren't just there to make up the numbers. With some key players available and the pressure off, 6.7million Serbians will watch on in anticipation to see what their nation can bring to the summer's tournament.

Mail Sport takes you through Group C's Serbia, including how they qualified for the tournament, their history in the competition and who to look out for.

Serbia will be competing at their first European Championship as an independent nation in Germany this summer

The Eagles will be up against it in terms of expectations for success but will look to surprise

Who is the manager?

Dragan Stojkovic

The 59-year-old Dragan Stojkovic will have been well-known to Serbia fans, despite his relative lack of managerial experience before he took over as boss in 2021.

The former midfielder, born in Yugoslavia, enjoyed a long playing career at international level, making a total of 84 appearances for his country between 1983 and 2001 before his retirement.

After calling it a day, he immediately became president of the Serbian Football Association, also becoming a member of the UEFA technical committee and FIFA football committee before joining Red Star Belgrade in the same role in 2005.

In 2008, Stojkovic took up coaching, spending five years in charge of Nagoya Grampus in Japan, winning the J League in 2010 and being tipped by his former boss, Arsene Wenger, to one day manage Arsenal.

He moved onto Chinese Super League side Guangzhou R&F in 2015, initially saving them from relegation before departing and taking over at Serbia in 2021.

At the World Cup in 2022, Serbia finished bottom of Group G, drawing one of their games and losing the other two, but Stojkovic stayed in his role and will now get another crack at the success in Germany.

Dragan Stojkovic, in charge since 2021, is the man tasked with delivering success for Serbia

Serbia finished bottom of Group G at the 2022 World Cup, but the 59-year-old was given the chance to put things right

Who is their star man?

Aleksandar Mitrovic

He's back. One of the biggest menaces of recent Premier League years will be on the European stage again as he looks to remind fans who may have forgotten about him just what he's all about.

After scoring 49 Premier League goals across a little over six seasons in England's top flight, Mitrovic decided it was time to move on and joined Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League for £46million.

He has flourished even further in the Middle East, netting 28 league goals in as many games this season as his side romped to the league title in his debut campaign, so he's in good form going into the tournament.

At international level, he has been the talisman of his side since debuting in 2013, going onto net a total of 57 goals in 89 games and is far out in front as his country's all-time record goal scorer.

Aleksandar Mitrovic, now playing in Saudi Arabia, will be the key man for Serbia this summer

His country's all-time top scorer, he has netted 57 goals in 89 games at international level

How did they qualify?

Serbia didn't need to mess around with any Nations League play-off routes to qualify for the tournament, booking their places as the runners-up in one of the qualifying groups.

Coming second to Hungary in Group H, Stojkovic and Co won four of their eight matches, drawing a further two and losing two.

That saw them finish with 14 points, four short of Hungary but three ahead of Montenegro.

They didn't taste defeat until their fourth game of qualifying, beating Lithuania and Montenegro before drawing in Bulgaria and losing to Hungary.

Results were mirrored against every side in the reverse fixtures, with Mitrovic finishing top scorer in the group with five goals.

Fixtures

On paper, it's the toughest start possible for Serbia as they take on tournament favourites England in Group C.

It's a free, hit, thought with no expectations. The important game is the second of three, when they will take on Slovenia in Munich, with the winner likely to finish third in the group with a shot of reaching the knockout rounds.

They may need a result against Denmark in the final game, and getting that could even help them finish in the top two of the group.

June 16 - Serbia v England, (Gelsenkirchen, 8pm BST)

June 20 - Slovenia v Serbia (Munich, 2pm BST)

June 25 - Denmark v Serbia (Munich, 8pm BST)

Serbia will be tasked with starting their tournament against competition favourites England

As the underdogs with no expectations, however, they will sense an opportunity to upset the odds during the group stage

Tournament history 

In past lives, Serbia have tasted success at the Euros. In the first-ever edition of the competition, as Yugoslavia, they finished second to the Soviet Union, with just four teams qualifying.

Failing to qualify in 1964, they were second again in 1968 to Italy, before not appearing in 1972 and coming fourth as hosts in 1976.

By 1984, there were eight teams involved, but Yugoslavia failed to get out their group. In 1992, they were suspended due to the Yugoslav Wars, with Denmark taking their place.

As Serbia and Montenegro, they remained suspended in 1996 before reaching the quarter-finals in 2000. That was the last time they appeared in the tournament, failing to qualify in 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020. 

As Yugoslavia

1960 - Second place

1968 - Second place

1976 - Fourth place

1984 - Group stage 

As Serbia and Montenegro

2000 - Quarter-finals

Odds to win the trophy

For one reason or another, Serbia's odds to win the title in Berlin on July 14 have shortened to 66/1 with Sky Bet.

Chances of getting much further than the first knockout round are slim, but, with fire power up top, they will never truly be dead and buried in any game.

Given it is technically their first time at a Euros, getting out of the group will likely be seen as a success. 

Chelsea's Djordje Petrovic has been named in the 26-man squad for the trip to Germany

Former Southampton man Dusan Tadic will have a vital role to play in Group C this summer

Confirmed squad

Goalkeepers: Predrag Rajkovic (Mallorca), Vanja Milinkovic-Savic (Torino), Djordje Petrovic (Chelsea)

Defenders: Nemanja Gudelj (Sevilla), Nikola Milenkovic (Fiorentina), Strahinja Pavlovic (Red Bull Salzburg), Filip Mladenovic (Panathinaikos), Milos Veljkovic (Werder Bremen), Uros Spajic (Red Star Belgrade), Srdan Babic (Spartak Moscow), Nemanja Stojic (Backa Topola)

Midfielders: Dusan Tadic (Fenerbahce), Filip Kostic (Juventus), Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Al-Hilal), Nemanja Maksimovic (Getafe), Sasa Lukic (Fulham), Andrija Zivkovic (PAOK), Mijat Gacinovic (AEK Athens), Ivan Ilic (Torino), Srdan Mijailovic (Red Star Belgrade), Lazar Samardzic (Udinese), Veljko Birmancevic (Sparta Prague)

Attackers: Aleksandar Mitrovic (Al-Hilal), Dusan Vlahovic (Fiorentina), Luka Jovic (AC Milan), Petar Ratkov (Red Bull Salzburg)