Sunday will be a proud day for Saša Lukić, as he walks out at the Arena AufSchalke as part of the first Serbia side ever to appear at a European Championship.
Their previous appearance came in 2000, as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, when Lukić was just three-years-old, and the significance of the achievement is not lost on our midfielder.
“This will be the first time for Serbia, and 24 years since the last appearance as Yugoslavia,” he told fulhamfc.com. “It’s wonderful for Serbian people and it’s also great for football, because Serbia deserved to qualify for the tournament.
“We are really happy to represent our country at these Finals. Our objectives need to be high. We have a strong group, and we need to show how strong we are, and we have a big motivation to do well.
“Therefore, we need to raise our level to the maximum possible, with the objective to reach the latter stages of the tournament.”
Serbia were drawn in Group C alongside England, Denmark and Slovenia, and begin their Euros campaign against the Three Lions in Gelsenkirchen this weekend.
Having played in the UK for some time now, Lukić has already come up against plenty of the England squad, and is relishing the opportunity to do so again on the biggest stage on Sunday evening.
“I can’t wait for the first game versus England,” he said. “I’m here in England and know more or less the way the players perform and what they offer.
“I’ve played against many of them in the Premier League, so it will certainly be a good contest, for me and for all of us, so it will be a wonderful experience and we hope to give a good account of ourselves.
“I’ve been here around 18 months, so it’s funny that we’ve been paired with England in the same group, and it will be a great occasion and match.
“I’ve played many times in the Premier League and it will be a great experience to play against an England side with many players I’ve already come up against.
“Playing in England for some time, and against some of the players already, can help as it will allow me to impart knowledge to the rest of the players and the team.
“To have played here for a year-and-a-half will certainly help to give our maximum against England, who are a big and strong side.”
The top two from each group will qualify automatically for the knockouts, but finishing below second does not extinguish all hope, with the four best third-placed sides also moving into the Round-of-16.
Lukić, though, does not want to leave anything to chance, and is targeting a top-two finish in Group C.
“That’s true, there’s a possibility that the third placed team can advance, however we will push hard to reach the first two positions in the group. England are favourites [though], not only in the group but for the tournament as a whole.”
