Three teams full of Eastern promise

Young European nations of Serbia, Slovenia and Slovakia head to South Africa with hope and pride. Jonathan Wilson reports

Slovenia players celebrate after beating Slovakia in a World Cup 2010 qualifying match.

For Dejan Stankovic, this will be a third World Cup for a third different country, which illustrates perfectly how turbulent the past two decades have been in eastern Europe. In fact none of the three countries from the region at this year's finals - Serbia, Slovenia and Slovakia - existed 20 years ago, when Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia had their last hurrahs at Italia '90. Both reached the quarter-finals, the Czechoslovaks losing to West Germany, while Yugoslavia went out on penalties to Argentina, having had the better of a game in which they survived the final hour plus extra time with 10 men after Refik Sabanadzovic had been sent off.

That was fairly typical of the Yugoslav experience of the World Cup, as high hopes and decent early performances were undermined by off-field problems. On that occasion it was not infighting that undid them, as it had, say, in 1974, but political tensions back home, which culminated in Srecko Katanec, the midfielder who is now manager of the UAE's national team, receiving death threats on the eve of the match.

There were high hopes for Serbia-Montenegro four years ago, as they qualified by conceding one goal in 10 matches, only for morale to disintegrate as Ilija Petkovic, the manager, picked his son, Dusan, as a replacement for the injured Mirko Vucinic. The sight of Nemanja Vidic, Savo Milosevic and Mateja Kezman scrapping on the training field hardly helped. Vidic then injured his back, and, with Ivica Dragutinovic also out, it meant Serbia-Montenegro fielded only half of their regular defence. They lost every game.

Qualifying offered promise again this time, as Serbia, who declared independence in February of 2008, finished top of a group that included France and Romania. With the pacy Milos Krasic on the right, the more cerebral Milan Jovanovic on the left, and Stankovic pulling the strings from deep, the midfield is attractive and balanced, while Nikola Zigic, the 6ft 8ins centre-forward who has signed for Birmingham, the English Premier League side, provides them with a physical presence that south-eastern European sides have often lacked.

Pre-tournament friendlies, though, have not gone well. A shock defeat to New Zealand was followed by a goalless draw against Poland in atrocious conditions in which Stankovic damaged his ankle. And then there is also the mental fragility of the team, although Serbia's coach, Raddy Antic, insists it is different this time. "We've created a really positive atmosphere and our confidence is high," he said. "We've genuinely turned into a big family, and that's definitely the biggest success."

The tendency is to assume Slovakia is a new football nation, but there were more Slovaks than Czechs in the Czechoslovakia side that won the European Championship in 1976. Under Vladimir Weiss, they have become a technically gifted, fluent side, although they are perhaps vulnerable to the crossed ball, as Cameroon showed in snatching a barely deserved draw in a friendly last week. The draw, which has grouped them with world champions Italy, Paraguay and New Zealand, has been kind. "I'd think first place is already taken," said Stanislav Sestak, the forward.

"I'm pretty sure Italy will win the group, but we're contenders for second place. That would be a huge success for Slovakia." As Matjaz Kek, their coach, notes dryly, part of Slovenia's motivation at the World Cup is to remind people that they are not Slovakia. For a nation with a population of only two million to qualify for a second World Cup eight years after their first would be remarkable in any circumstances, but it is particularly so given that until about 10 years ago Slovenia rather scorned any sport that did not involve hurtling down a hill very quickly.

Kek's side are solid and unpretentious, far greater than the sum of their parts. The highest-profile player is Milovan Novakovic, the centre-forward who plays for FC Koln, but they have a habit of upsetting sides who underestimate them, as Russia found to their cost in the play-offs. "For Slovenia, it is a big thing to even qualify for the World Cup," said Zlatko Dedic, the forward. "Now our goal is to reach the second round, which is a hard task. We must keep on doing the things that worked during the qualifiers and play as a team. Every single player must have that in mind." @Email:[e-mail]

Serbia A solid, balanced side who, on the evidence of their performances in qualifying, have the potential to make a big impression. Lack of depth up front and psychological issues remain a potential negative factor. Slovenia A neat, industrious team waiting to pounce on the unwary who under-estimate them. There's nothing particularly flash or sophisticated about Slovenia, but their 4-4-2 will be hard for opponents to break down. Slovakia A technically accomplished and free-flowing passing side through midfield, Slovakia perhaps lack a cutting edge up front and could be intimidated in encounters with more physical opposition.