Despite competing as an independent nation since only 2006, Serbia can already consider themselves among the world’s leading teams.
In the intervening eight years, the Serbians have qualified for two summer Olympic Games – Beijing 2008 (fifth) and London 2012 (ninth) – won the European Championship in 2011 and picked up two silver medals (2008, 2009) and one bronze (2010) in the World League. In the one previous World Championship in which they have competed, in 2010, Serbia claimed the bronze medal.
Under the banner of Yugoslavia they also claimed a European Championship title in 2001 and won the gold medal at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.
Added to their record as part of Serbia and Montenegro – fourth in the 2006 world championship – and Yugoslavia (silver medallists in 1998, fourth in 2002), Serbia have an impressive track record at this tournament.
At Poland 2014 they will be aiming to fare better than they did in the 2014 World League, where they finished third in a tough Pool B of Group 1 and sixth overall.