Close watchers of past World Cups will notice that this is the first time that Serbia and Montenegro has played in the tournament. Under that name, that is. They played under the Yugoslavia banner until 2003. Under that flag, the team reached the World Cup seven times. Few will remember this squad's most successful run - it lost to eventual champion Uruguay in the semifinals of the first World Cup in 1930. Serbia and Montenegro failed to qualify in 2002, but it enjoyed some success in 1998. This team was knocked out in the round of 16 by fellow Group C member the Netherlands. Interestingly, group member Argentina was also knocked out by the Dutch that year. Like Argentina, Serbia will be looking for revenge this time around.

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Serbia comes into the tournament on a roll. Former superstar player Dejan Savicevic was removed as coach after the team had a terrible qualifying run for Euro 2004. He was replaced by Ilija Petkovic, who promptly dropped several veteran players from the team in favor of some up-and-coming youngsters. Those moves have paid off -- the team hasn't lost a competitive fixture since. It came through European Group 7 qualifying without a loss, winning six and drawing four matches.

The most impressive part of Serbia and Montenegro's run to the World Cup is that the team only allowed one goal in ten games. Spain, ranked No. 5 in the world, scored on them in Madrid, but Serbia was able to tie it up. In the other nine games its opponents were held scoreless. That level of defensive dominance is unprecedented in the history of World Cup qualification. This team's high level of defensive skill and the wave of momentum it is riding makes this team far more dangerous its their No. 47 world ranking. That makes Serbia and Montenegro a perfect member of Group C, the group of death. Like the other three teams, it wouldn't be a huge surprise to see this team move on to the second round. Unfortunately, only two of the four teams can survive.

Serbia and Montenegro World Cup 2006 Odds: Bodog has Serbia and Montenegro at 90-1 odds to win the 2006 World Cup, the same as fellow group member Ivory Coast.

Strengths: When you only allow one goal in 10 games, it is an obvious understatement to say that your defense is a strength. What is remarkable is the depth this team has in the backfield. There are as many as 15 players who could be considered to be top-level international defenders. They will be leaving players at home that many of the teams in the tournament would love to have on their sideline.

Mladen Krstajic is the anchor of the defense. He is one of the top defenders in the Bundesliga, so he is comfortable playing on German soil. Starring with him is Nemanja Vidic, the 24-year-old who has just joined Manchester United. He is, at times, shockingly aggressive. He is expected to grow into the leadership role that Krstajic currently occupies, but he is already receiving rave reviews for his play. They are joined by a host of players starring in both international and domestic leagues.

Up front, this team has several options at striker. The squad's best bet is Mateja Kezman, who scored a ton at PSV Eindhoven before becoming frustrated by a lack of playing time at Chelsea. Others, like Zvonimir Vukic, who some have dubbed 'the new Zidane', and Nikola Zigic, the six-foot-eight giant who was joint MVP of the home league in 2005 along with Vidic, also have potential. Unfortunately for most of the strikers, the defensive mindset of the team means only one striker often sees the field at any given time.

Weaknesses: When a team is so singularly focused on the defensive game, it can be in real trouble if that defense falters. This team is especially vulnerable in short tournaments where one loss can make the difference. There is no specific reason to believe that the Serbian wall will break down, but fans of the team will certainly live in fear of the possibility.

Even if you do hold the teams to very few goals you still have to score on your own. They scored 16 goals in the 10 qualifying games, which was more than enough. The problem, though, is that Kezman accounted for five of those goals. If he goes cold, and no one steps up to fill the gap, it could be a much shorter tournament than fans are hoping for.

Serbia and Montenegro World Cup 2006 Outlook: You would have to feel better about Serbia and Montenegro's prospects if it was in a weaker group. Serbia is in with very tough competition in Group C. Its defensive prowess will be tested by all three teams, but especially by Argentina. At best Serbia and Montenegro is the third favorite team in the group, but it wouldn't be a shock to see the team get through. In the next round and beyond this team would likely be underdogs, but not insurmountably so. A run as far as the semifinals would not be impossible.

Even if this year doesn't go as well as the team hopes, there is plenty of reason for optimism for the next go round. Most of the team's strength is in young players, so this team will only improve with age. This is definitely a squad on the rise.

Serbia and Montenegro World Cup 2006 Schedule:

Sunday, June 11, Group C3 Serbia and Montenegro vs. Group C4 Netherlands, in Leipzig, 3 p.m.

Friday, June 16, Group C1 Argentina vs. Group C3 Serbia and Montenegro, in Gelsenkirchen, 3 p.m.

Wednesday, June 21, Group C2 Ivory Coast vs. Group C3 Serbia and Montenegro, in Munich, 9 p.m.

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