They are playing in Belgrade in a vital qualifying match for the European Championship next year.

The coaches and the players of both teams are well aware of the political overtones to the match.

Croatians are more fanatical than most fans

"We should not hide it, this will not be just sport," said Miroslav Blazevic, the Croatian team coach.

"Every victory of the Croatian team is a victory for their people."

Yugoslav coach Vujadin Boskov admitted that huge prestige is at stake:

"We do not want this to become a political game, but the circumstances are such that it has already been branded as a match for national pride."

The game was due to be played on 27 March but was postponed because of the Nato bombing of Yugoslavia.

Yugoslavia lead Group Eight and are two points ahead of Croatia with a game in hand.

Players know what the match means

National rivalries between the two countries have spilled over on to the football field before.

In 1990, before the bitter war which led to the collapse of the former Yugoslavia, there was violence between fans of Partizan Belgrade, a Serb club, and Croatia Zagreb, a Croatian club.

It was seen by some observers as one of the triggers to full scale war.

Internal politics

Wednesday's match is also complicated by internal Yugoslav politics.

Opponents of Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic often use football matches to voice dissent.

Yugoslavia are favourites to qualify

Serb nationalists regard him as a traitor to their fellow Serbs in Croatia and Kosovo.

They chant slogans and whistle during the Yugoslav national anthem.

Opposition politicians in Yugoslavia have accused the Milosevic government of buying up tickets to pack the stadium and suppress the voice of dissent.

The Yugoslav Football Association has denied the allegations but is well aware of the politics surrounding the match.