Antić confirms Serbia squad
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
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Serbia coach Radomir Antić said he "really believes in our team and their potential" after naming his squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. "I wanted balance and I believe we have that."
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Serbia coach Radomir Antić confirmed his final 23-man squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup on Tuesday, with FK Vojvodina goalkeeper Željko Brkić the unfortunate player to be cut from the group that has been preparing for the tournament in Austria.
"Decisions like this are always hard, but life continues," Antić said from Serbia's training base in Leogang. "Željko was, is and will be part of the team and he knows we always count on him."
There were no surprises in the squad which is comprised of the players who ensured Serbia finished top of qualifying Group 7. UD Leiria goalkeeper Anđelko Đuričić is the newest addition to the side, having made his international debut in Saturday's 1-0 loss to New Zealand, while Sevilla FC defender Ivica Dragutinović and Genoa CFC midfielder Boško Janković miss out through injury.
"I wanted balance in the squad and I believe we have that," Antić added. "We have spent two years together, we have grown up together, we work together, we eat together and we have learned to live together. The World Cup is a big challenge for us. We are working each day to be at our peak on 13 June for our first match against Ghana, which is a first final for us. I really believe in our team and their potential."
Serbia will play friendlies against Poland on 2 June and Cameroon three days later before their first Group D match against Ghana. They then meet Germany on 18 June and Australia five days after that.
Serbia squad
Goalkeepers: Vladimir Stojković (Wigan Athletic FC), Bojan Isailović (Zagłębie Lubin), Anđelko Đuričić (UD Leiria).
Defenders: Branislav Ivanović (Chelsea FC), Antonio Rukavina (TSV 1860 München), Nemanja Vidić (Manchester United FC), Neven Subotić (BV Borussia Dortmund), Aleksandar Luković (Udinese Calcio), Ivan Obradović (Real Zaragoza), Aleksandar Kolarov (S.S. Lazio).
Midfielders: Dejan Stanković (FC Internazionale Milano), Gojko Kačar (Hertha BSC Berlin), Nenad Milijaš (Wolverhampton Wanderers FC), Zdravko Kuzmanović (VfB Stuttgart), Radosav Petrović (FK Partizan), Miloš Krasić (PFC CSKA Moskva), Zoran Tošić (1. FC Köln), Miloš Ninković (FC Dynamo Kyiv), Milan Jovanović (R. Standard de Liège).
Forwards: Nikola Žigić (Birmingham City FC), Marko Pantelić (AFC Ajax), Danko Lazović (FC Zenit St. Petersburg), Dragan Mrđa (FK Vojvodina).
