A small Balkan people who have seen their borders shrink over decades of armed conflict, the Serbs claimed an unlikely victory flooring thrice winners Germany to register their first World Cup win as an independent country.
"This is a victory for our people who will for sure know how to celebrate this victory," said Serb coach Radomir Antic. "This team represents its people because it is energetic and because it is ready to fight.
"What is certain is Serbian people have recognised themselves in this team.
"This victory will be appreciated in the right way."
"Can we say this is the return of the fighters? The ones the people didn't believe in anymore? I don't know but for sure this shows us we have to believe more in ourselves," said Antic. "This victory is more than just a victory.
"This victory has a much greater impact on us psychologically than any other victory.
"This victory will permit us to think about ourselves because with this victory we can decide our own fate."
"Everyone believed in this win," Serb keeper Vladimir Stojkovic told reporters. "To win against Germany at the World Cup is quite something and we deserved it as a group.
"We worked so hard the last two years."
