Before you start to worry, this isn’t as politically insensitive as it may at first seem. We’re all well aware that there have been numerous conflicts - to say the least - in very recent history over territory in what was until 1992 known as the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and several other things before that.

Today, at the time of writing, SFR Yugoslavia was made up of seven currently sovereign nations: Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro, Slovenia and Kosovo respectively. However, when you take a step back and look at them just as purely football playing nations, it becomes abundantly clear just how good a national team from that region might have been at this World Cup.

So here it is, a 23-man-squad made up of players who would have qualified to play for SFR Yugoslavia, and the best starting side (according to us) you can make from it. Let us know any changes you’d have made below in the comments. Next time, we’ll be looking at Prussia (we won’t).

23 Man Former SFR Yugoslavia Squad

 

Goalkeepers:

Asmir Begović - Bosnia and Herzegovina - Stoke City

Samir Handanović - Slovenia - Internazionale

Stipe Pletikosa - Croatia - FC Rostov

 

Defenders:

CB/RB - Branislav Ivanović - Serbia - Chelsea

CB - Matija Nastasić - Serbia - Manchester City

LB/RB - Aleksandar Kolarov - Serbia - Manchester City

CB/RB - Vedran Ćorluka - Croatia - Lokomotiv Moscow

CB - Dejan Lovren - Croatia - Southampton

CB - Neven Subotić - Serbia - Borussia Dortmund

LB - Sead Kolašinac - Bosnia and Herzegovina - Schalke 04

RB - Darijo Srna - Croatia - Shakhtar Donestsk

 

Midfielders:

DMF - Nemanja Matić - Serbia - Chelsea

RW - Ivan Perišić - Croatia - Wolfsburg

CAM - Ivan Rakitić - Croatia - Barcelona

CM - Luka Modrić - Croatia - Real Madrid

CAM - Miralem Pjanić - Bosnia and Herzegovina - AS Roma

CAM - Mateo Kovačić - Croatia - Internazionale

LW - Senad Lulić - Bosnia and Herzegovina - Lazio

CAM - Adem Ljajić - Serbia - AS Roma

 

Forwards:

Mario Mandžukić - Croatia - Bayern München

Edin Džeko - Bosnia and Herzegovina - Manchester City

Mirko Vučinić - Montenegro - Al Jazira

Stevan Jovetić - Montenegro - Manchester City

 

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