Yugoslavia: What Might Have Been

For those of you unschooled in the tumultuous history of Eastern Europe, Yugoslavia was once a large, ethnically diverse country situated across the Adriatic Sea from Italy. Unfortunately, its diversity was also its downfall, as a succession of brutal civil wars resulted in Yugoslavia breaking up into a number of other countries.

What does any of this have to do with soccer?

The Yugoslavian national soccer team was moderately successful, reaching the World Cup quarter-finals in 1974 and 1990 but also failing to qualify on a number of occasions. They fared rather better in Olympic competition, winning gold in Rome in 1960 and bronze in Los Angeles in 1984. But what if they still existed?

Of the countries created out of Yugoslavia's breakup, six have national soccer teams. Macedonia and Montenegro, as tiny countries, have had little success. Croatia, Slovenia, and Serbia have never cleared the group stage at a World Cup, and the best finish any of three can claim is the European Championship quarter-finals. Bosnia-Herzegovina have never qualified for either major tournament. Maybe their best answer is to reunify?

Kidding. Obviously. That's offensive.

We will almost certainly never see a reunified Yugoslavia, and most of its former denizens would find the idea repulsive. But if one were to discount history (and therefore all the concrete reasons why such a reunification cannot happen), what would the potential result be? This blog is about soccer, not politics. I'm allowed to use my imagination. Having watched all of these teams in recent years, I began to wonder at the level of talent that would be on show in a present-day Yugoslavian team.

So here is my 23-man Yugoslavian All-Star squad. Player, followed by his actual country of origin and his club side.

Goalkeepers
Samir Handanovic- Slovenia, Udinese (Italy)
Asmir Begovic- Bosnia-Herzegovina, Stoke City (England)

Defenders
Nemanja Vidic- Serbia, Manchester United (England)
Branislav Ivanovic- Serbia, Chelsea (England)
Aleksandar Kolarov- Serbia, Manchester City (England)
Neven Subotic- Serbia, Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
Dusko Tosic- Serbia, Real Betis (Spain)
Vedran Corluka- Croatia, Tottenham Hotspur (England)
Emir Spahic- Bosnia-Herzegovina, Sevilla (Spain)

Midfielders
Darijo Srna- Croatia, Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine)
Miralem Pjanic- Bosnia-Herzegovina, Roma (Italy)
Dejan Stankovic- Serbia, Inter Milan (Italy)
Armin Bacinovic- Slovenia, Palermo (Italy)
Milos Krasic- Serbia, Juventus (Italy)
Luka Modric- Croatia, Tottenham Hotspur (England)
Ivan Rakitic- Croatia, Sevilla (Spain)
Niko Krancjar- Croatia, Tottenham Hotspur (England)
Zvjezdan Misimovic- Bosnia-Herzegovina, Dynamo Moscow (Russia)
Josip Ilicic- Slovenia, Palermo (Italy)

Forwards
Edin Dzeko- Bosnia-Herzegovina, Manchester City (England)
Mirko Vucinic- Montenegro, Juventus (Italy)
Stevan Jovetic- Montenegro, Fiorentina (Italy)
Goran Pandev- Macedonia, Napoli (Italy)

Are you kidding me?! Look at this team! It has EVERYTHING!

Okay, maybe its a little light in defensive midfield. Armin Bacinovic is a good young player, but he's not world class.

Still, this team's defenders are frankly terrifying. And the embarrassment of offensive riches would score goals against anyone. There are an endless number of configurations in midfield, each more intriguing than the next. Likewise, all four forwards are mobile and good on the ball. Coach Radomir Antic (former Serbia manager and one of only two men to have managed Barcelona and Real Madrid) would surely have his own ideas, but here is MY starting lineup:

Subotic and Vidic would scare the living daylights out of any forward, and Handanovic is a rising star at 'keeper. Bacinovic's job would be the holding midfielder, sweeping up in front of the defense. Kolarov and Srna, who play both midfield and defense for their clubs, would constantly and dangerously get forward into the attack. Modric has excelled this year for Tottenham as a deep-lying playmaker, while Pjanic would create ahead of him and make runs into the box to support Dzeko. Dzeko himself is in terrific form for club and country, and his huge size belies his excellent mobility and poise on the ball. Krasic has exceptional dribbling skills, searing pace, and is almost unplayable when on form. Mirko Vucinic is a versatile player, boasting decent size, pace, and ball skills to go along with excellent finishing ability. This team would have defensive solidity and tons of creativity along with ample amounts of speed, skill, and strength. Seriously, who in the world (other than Spain blah blah blah) wouldn't this team compete with? Just something to think about.