AUCKLAND // Serbia coach Veljko Paunovic hoped his team’s victory at the Under 20 World Cup will inspire “compassion and unity” in a country still troubled by its war-torn past.
Sitting next to the trophy after Serbia’s 2-1 extra time win over Brazil on Saturday, Paunovic delivered an emotional statement he said was aimed to people at home.
“As a team we wanted to send a message at this tournament, a message of unity and kindness,” he said.
“In Serbia, we are still living this style of life after 20 years of struggle, of difficulty. I am hoping that what we have achieved here might be the beginning of a new era for Serbia, of living a life of good values and unity.”
Paunovic also hoped that yesterday’s victory might help usher in a new era for Serbian football.
Their first U20 title as an independent nation came just a year after their victory at the 2013 European Under-19 Championships in Lithuania.
Paunovic said there was no reason those twin successes should not carry over to the senior national team.
“This result is the consequence of a project which has been built over several years,” he said. “We have started well and now we have to build. This trophy gives us confidence and also gives us credibility which is very important.”
While Serbia were the underdogs in the final, Brazil coach Rogerio Micale said at the start of the tournament that they were a team to be reckoned with.
“If you look back at the first interview I gave at this World Cup, I was asked which team might be the team to surprise everyone and I said that team would Serbia,” Micale said.
He said while the loss was disappointing, the future for Brazil was also bright.
“I leave New Zealand and this World Cup with good sensations and good feelings about what we have done,” Micale said. “We are just starting work (with these players) and that will probably make some good things for Brazil in the future.”
Nemanja Maksimovic scored an 118th minute goal on the counter attack to give Serbia a 2-1 victory at North Harbour Stadium on Saturday.
The game had been locked at 1-1 after regulation time after Stanisa Mandic had given the Serbs hopes of their first title as an independent nation with 20 minutes remaining in the match, but Andreas Pereira equalised three minutes later.
The former Yugoslavia won the title in 1987 in Chile, with Serbia appearing in the tournament for the first time in New Zealand.
In the earlier match for third place, Adama Traore produced two sensational long-range strikes to help Mali beat 10-man Senegal 3-1.
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