 |
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
You are in: Football: Features |  |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
    |
|
Serbia and Montenegro facts | |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
Around the Academy: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Red Star Belgrade were European champs in 1991
We all know it's a mouthful to chant at football matches! But what else could the Academy find out about Serbia and Montenegro?
Where is it? It's located on the Balkan peninsula of south eastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea.
It also has borders with Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the south and also Albania and Macedonia. The region is renowned for its beauty and it used to be a popular holiday destination until the civil war kicked off over a decade ago. The population is over 10-and-a-half million and the capital city is Belgrade. Still doesn't ring a bell? Not surprised! The place has only just been renamed Serbia and Montenegro. It was known as Yugoslavia until last February. Why the change? The old Yugoslavia used to be made up of six republics - Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Macedonia. It lost the other four in the bloody wars of independence during the 1990s, leaving only Serbia and Montenegro. Are the troubles over now? There's still some unrest. Wales were unable to play there as planned back in the spring because Uefa were worried it wouldn't be safe. The Prime Minister of Serbia was murdered in March, and with so many people gathering in one place the authorities were concerned violence might spark. The game eventually went ahead in August. So where does the footy fit in? Serbia and Montenegro has a proud football history.
They reached the semi-finals of the first World Championships held in Uruguay in 1930, beating Brazil in the process. The team travelled to South America by ship and arrived after 18 days at sea. The only training they had during that time was running around the ship's deck! They have also twice been runners-up in the European Championships. What about their club sides? There's fierce rivalry between the two capital city teams - Red Star Belgrade and Partisan Belgrade. Red Star lifted the European Champions Cup in 1991. Do they play any other sports? Yugoslavia were the World Basketball Champions in 1998. Volleyball and waterpolo are also poular.
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
