Milinković-Savić Brothers Return to Serbia Squad After Two-Year Absence

Veljko Paunović, the new coach of the Serbian national team, has announced the return of brothers Vanja and Sergej Milinković-Savić to the national squad after a two-year absence. This move represents a shift in the team's direction under the recently appointed technical leadership.

Sergej Milinković-Savić, who plays for Saudi club Al-Hilal, had faced exclusion from the squad following the Euro 2024 tournament due to tactical disagreements with former coach Dragan Stojković. His brother Vanja's absence was linked to an altercation that occurred before Serbia's exit from the continental competition. Stojković had previously commented on his selection choices, stating he would not make further efforts to persuade players. "He still has my appreciation and he is a good player," Stojković had said. "But after five attempts and talking to him, I will not waste more time or energy. The relationship was not damaged, and we did not argue; I simply have no desire to convince anyone, and there are other players waiting for my call-up."

The decision to recall the players comes after Dragan Stojković resigned as Serbia coach on October 13 following a defeat to Albania, which paved the way for Paunović's appointment two weeks later. Stojković had previously hinted at the circumstances surrounding his disciplinary decisions, stating that failures occur "when some get drunk in the cities of Augsburg and Munich, or when fights occur in training." This was an apparent reference to the atmosphere that preceded the exclusion of Vanja Milinković-Savić, who was born in Ourense, Spain, two years after his older brother Sergej.