Could a United Yugoslavia Win/Have Won the World Cup?

[abelard]

eh? quite good at footy, all told (except for you, Macedonia)

from these, who are your eleven fav slavs?
(I probably missed some - let me know!)

what's your dream Dalmatian formation?
(sorry for writing like a UK sports editor)

GK
Oblak (SLO) Atletico Madrid
Handanovic (SLO) Udinese
Begovic (BOS) Bournemouth

DEF
Maksimovic (SER) Napoli
Savic (MON) Atletico Madrid
Kolasinac (BOS) Arsenal
Kolarov (SER) Roma
Ivanovic (SER) Zenit
Corluka (CRO) Lokomotiv Moscow
Vrsaljko (CRO) Atletico Madrid
Jedvaj (CRO) Bayer Leverkeusen
Strinic (CRO) Napoli
Srna (CRO) Shaktar

MID
Rakatic (CRO) Barcelona
Modric (CRO) Real Madrid
Pjanic (BOS) Juventus
Perisic (CRO) Inter
Matic (SER) Manchester United
Kovacic (CRO) Real Madrid
Brozovic (CRO) Inter
Tadic (SER) Southampton
Ljajic (SER) Torino
Lulic (BOS) Lazio
Birsa (SLO) Chievo
Kampl (SLO) Bayer Leverkeusen

FW
Mandzukic (CRO) Juventus
Dzeko (BOS) Roma
Jovetic (MON) Inter
Kalinic (CRO) Fiorentina
Ibisevic (BOS) Hertha Berlin
Pandev (MAC) Genoa

Probably a bit past it now, but a few years ago, throw in Vidic, Vucinic, Ilic... ?

 

[DrEFC]

where is Besic??!!!
Defensively not good enough, but Oblak is fanstastic, that's some decent midfield to pick, and a reasonable forward line- I used to love Pandev, but he's not good enough any more :/ Shrokan Mustafi could of qualified for Macedonia, as his parents were born there.

 

[ilikecheese]

Besic could win the world cup on his own.

So yeah...the answer is yes.

 

[Huyton Layne]

With a bit of luck they could have won Italia 90

 

[Jamo Martinez]

With a bit of luck they could have won Italia 90

Germany battered them 4-1 first game. They would have had a better chance in 94 but that was after the break up. Players like Jarni, Suker, Mijatovic, Savisevic, prozinecki, Jankovic, Boban et al.

When you consider how boss Rumania and Bulgaria were at that WC it would have been Eastern Europe's finest hour.

Again, superb in midfield and attack but possibly lacking in defence. However Croatia finished 3rd in 98 so who knows

 

[flibbyflob]

They might have been a real force in 94 had it not all fallen apart as it did. Had a great team did Red Star Belgrade back then which would have supplied most of the side.

 

[dublinbluenose]

Convinced they would have won Euro 92' had the country not fallen into civil war.

 

[cronullasharks]

98 world cup would have been a possibility. From memory boban and boksic weren't in the team, dunno if they were injured or even retired from international footy at the time. Yugoslavia had some top players at the time too (i think) Savicevic for example

 

[john jako]

More of a chance than England. Unless we joined with Scotland and Wales and could put Naismith and Williams in the team.

 

[a bell maul]

The Balkans have long been an interesting hotbed. Yugoslavia was a Frankenstein monster, unwillingly stitched together under the yoke of totalitarian USSR.
My Adriatic mates' grandparents still think of themselves as Dalmatians, let alone Croats...

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

Here's an unrelated question, but one that I've always wondered

Czechoslovakia won the Euro's in the 70's didn't they? Now who lays claim to that title? Czech Republic or Slovakia? Can they both claim it?

 

[Lord Buckethead]

where is Besic??!!!

Taken as read that he's injured.

 

[degsy]

eh? quite good at footy, all told (except for you, Macedonia)

from these, who are your eleven fav slavs?
(I probably missed some - let me know!)

what's your dream Dalmatian formation?
(sorry for writing like a UK sports editor)

GK
Oblak (SLO) Atletico Madrid
Handanovic (SLO) Udinese
Begovic (BOS) Bournemouth

DEF
Maksimovic (SER) Napoli
Savic (MON) Atletico Madrid
Kolasinac (BOS) Arsenal
Kolarov (SER) Roma
Ivanovic (SER) Zenit
Corluka (CRO) Lokomotiv Moscow
Vrsaljko (CRO) Atletico Madrid
Jedvaj (CRO) Bayer Leverkeusen
Strinic (CRO) Napoli
Srna (CRO) Shaktar

MID
Rakatic (CRO) Barcelona
Modric (CRO) Real Madrid
Pjanic (BOS) Juventus
Perisic (CRO) Inter
Matic (SER) Manchester United
Kovacic (CRO) Real Madrid
Brozovic (CRO) Inter
Tadic (SER) Southampton
Ljajic (SER) Torino
Lulic (BOS) Lazio
Birsa (SLO) Chievo
Kampl (SLO) Bayer Leverkeusen

FW
Mandzukic (CRO) Juventus
Dzeko (BOS) Roma
Jovetic (MON) Inter
Kalinic (CRO) Fiorentina
Ibisevic (BOS) Hertha Berlin
Pandev (MAC) Genoa

Probably a bit past it now, but a few years ago, throw in Vidic, Vucinic, Ilic... ?

Why not /Maybe;
Back in the day they were called by some 'The White Brazil'
iirc, they were too good for Ramey's England in the 68 Euros

 

[Billy Dean]

They might have been a real force in 94 had it not all fallen apart as it did. Had a great team did Red Star Belgrade back then which would have supplied most of the side.

That Red Star team was unbelievable

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Here's an unrelated question, but one that I've always wondered

Czechoslovakia won the Euro's in the 70's didn't they? Now who lays claim to that title? Czech Republic or Slovakia? Can they both claim it?

The Czechs, even though Panenka is Slovak. Interestingly, panenka is Czech for a dolly, which is quite appropriate for the kick that carries his name.

As you the old Yugoslav team, they certainly had some cracking players back then. Savicevic and Boban were awesome for Milan, and I thought Pancev would tear it up at Inter at the same time, but they were a complete graveyard for strikers back then and he stunk the place out.