The Yugoslav national football team was received in France as one of the shadow favorites for the highest place at the World Cup. The justification for such an estimation was partially found in the names of the Yugoslav players, members of great European teams and proved footballers. Besides, Yugoslavia had high quality individuals who were perfectly functioning as a whole. The whole football world was impressed when the best Yugoslav footballers simply wiped out from the football field their former teachers Hungarian in the two games, 7-1 in Budapest and 5-0 in Belgrade.
In the end, Yugoslavia was the ninth among 32 countries who participated in the World Cup what is actually a success, since it left behind many very powerful national teams. On the other side, the Yugoslav footballers disappointed with their game. They were expected to continue playing as they used to do before the World Cup - offensive and imaginative. Unfortunately, when it was the most necessary, the national team failed to show what they can and what they know. It is true, that in the game against Holland, they did not have enough luck, but the impression remains that in this game Yugoslavia has paid a tax to their closed and faint-hearted playing.
The Yugoslav national team at the 16th World Cup in France (June 10 to July 12, 1998) was composed of the following footballers:
Goal keepers: Ivica Kralj, Dragoje Lekovic.
Defence: Zoran Mirkovic, Goran Djorovic, Miroslav Djukic, Sinisa Mihajlovic, Slobodan Komljenovic, Nisa Saveljic, Zeljko Petrovic.
Midplayers: Slavisa Jokanovic, Branko Brnovic, Vladimir Jugovic, Dejan Savicevic, Dragan Stojkovic, Ljubinko Drulovic, Dejan Govedarica, Miroslav Stevic.
Attack: Predrag Mijatovic, Savo Milosevic, Dejan Stankovic, Perica Ognjenovic, Darko Kovacevic.
Mihajlovic - 1:0
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Saint Etienne, France, June 14 - Group F
YUGOSLAVIA - Iran 1-0 (0-0)
Scorer for Yugoslavia: Sinisa Mihajlovic in 73rd minute
The Yugoslav players won the game against modest but courageous Iranians, after a very poor playing in the most part of the game. Particularly deplorable impression left the midplayers who were constantly failing to serve usable balls to attackers Mijatovic and Milosevic. In the first half, the Yugoslav players did not succeed even to shoot at the opponent's goal.
In the second half, coach Slobodan Santrac decided to apply more offensive variant, introducing Dejan Stankovic, Ognjenovic and Kovacevic in the game. Kovacevic was fouled in his solo-attack at about 20 m from the Iranian goal. The free kick was masterly performed by Sinisa Mihajlovic and that was the only goal in the game.
1:0 for Yugoslavia - Stankovic
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Lens, France, June 21 - Group F
YUGOSLAVIA - Germany 2-2 (1-0)
Scorers for Yugoslavia: Stankovic in 12th and Stojkovic in 54th minute
In the first 70 minutes of the game, the Yugoslav players showed their best game at the World Cup. Inspired by the great opponent, they succeeded to lead 2-0 and being superior in all elements of the game, they had a couple of promising chances to increase the lead.
However, that was not enough. With the first German goal, after a free kick, the ball hit Mihajlovic and turning its direction ended in the Kralj's goal. This goal rather shook up the play of the Yugoslav footballers and fantastic Germans succeeded to equalize.
Komljenovic's goal against USA
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Nantes, France, June 25 - Group F
YUGOSLAVIA - USA 1-0 (0-0)
Scorer for Yugoslavia: Slobodan Komljenovic in 4th minute
The Yugoslav national team qualified for the eight-finals, among 16 best teams in the world, but repeated its pallid play from the match with Iran. The early goal of Slobodan Komljenovic after Mihajlovic's free kick, seemed to have dazed the Yugoslav footballers who gave the initiative to the opponent. In the second halftime, they started playing better and had a few chances to score a goal but without any result.
Toulouse, France, June 29 - eight finals
YUGOSLAVIA - Netherlands 1-2 (0-1)
Scorer for Yugoslavia: Slobodan Komljenovic in 48th minute
Yugoslavia entered the game with enforced defence line and with only one player in the attack. The defensive tactics did not pay off as the Dutch Bergkamp scored a goal 1-0. Only after receiving the goal, the Yugoslav footballers started attacking and at the beginning of the second halftime, already in 48th minute, Slobodan Komljenovic equalized, after captain Dragan Stojkovic sent the ball into the penalty area where Komljenovic received it hitting the ball with his head into a goal.
The moment which determined the destiny of the Yugoslav team at the World Cup happened in 51st minute. Vladimir Jugovic was fouled in the penalty area and Spanish referee Garcia Aranda showed at the 11m point. The player of Real Madrid and best Yugoslav player Predrag Mijatovic strongly shot the ball but only hit the cross bar at the moment when the goal keeper Edwin Van Der Sar was already defeated.
The missed penalty so much demoralized the Yugoslav players that they gave away the initiative to aggressive Dutchmen. In the 80th minute, the Yugoslav team was left without its best player in defence Sinisa Mihajlovic so it caused insecurity in the defence line. When everybody expected the end of the regular part of the game and overtimes, Edgar Davids powerfully kicked the ball from the distance of 20 m and for the second time Dutchmen scored. That was the end of all Yugoslav hopes since there was simply not enough time to do anything.
Mijatovic's missed penalty
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