Belgrade (AFP) – Serbia’s football federation (FSS) on Thursday named Slavoljub Muslin as the new national coach to replace Radovan Curcic, who stepped down last week.

Muslin will be tasked with leading Serbia, absent from the Euro 2016 finals in France, into the qualifying campaign for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

The 62-year-old former international defender Muslin will take charge of Serbia for the first time on May 25 in a home friendly against Cyprus.

The much-travelled Muslin has coached Red Star Belgrade and also worked in France and Russia, while his last coaching position was at Standard Liege in Belgium.

Serbia finished second bottom of their Euro 2016 qualifying group after winning just twice in eight games.

They have been drawn in Group D in qualifying for the 2018 World Cup along with Wales, Austria, the Republic of Ireland, Moldova and Georgia.

Serbia begin their campaign to qualify for the finals in Russia at home to Ireland on September 5.