Dejan Stankovic is the hardworking midfielder whom Serbia and Montenegro fans are counting on to pull the strings in the centre of the park at this summer's Fifa World Cup.

The Serbian midfielder has always expressed his preference for a central role, but his versatility and ability to perform wherever he is needed make him the ideal squad player.

His managers have naturally always taken advantage and used him in a variety of positions, never guaranteeing him the continuity that senior players need to have an impact both on the pitch and in the dressing room.

When used correctly and free of injuries, Stankovic is a truly world-class player. Above all, he is a born-winner with a fine collection of titles to his name, both in Italy and in his homeland.

Looking back over his career, it is interesting to note that of the 12 most prestigious trophies he has won, 'only' two are national championship titles one with Red Star Belgrade and one in Italy with Lazio while the others were all knockout competitions.

This might be seen as no bad thing going into a Fifa World Cup, even given the limited influence that one man can have on the attitude and mindset of an entire squad on world football's biggest stage.

At a mere 16 years of age, Stankovic went into the record books as the youngest Red Star Belgrade player ever to take part in European competition.

In 1998, before his 20th birthday, he moved to Rome where he became such an established presence in the Lazio midfield that he was nicknamed 'The new (Lothar) Matthaus'.

In his five and a half seasons with the Biancocelesti, he played through the most successful period in the club's history, helping them to the Scudetto and five other major trophies.

In January 2004, with Lazio in deep financial crisis, Stankovic moved on, choosing Inter Milan over Juventus. There he rejoined manager Roberto Mancini, an admirer and former teammate at Lazio.

Since the move, he has been a regular member of the Inter starting 11, reaffirming his reputation as an accomplished midfielder with an eye for goal.

His international career, firstly for Yugoslavia and then Serbia and Montenegro, has included making three appearances at France 98, playing at Euro 2000, and in every World Cup and European Championship qualifying campaign since.

Stankovic played nine out of 10 qualifiers for Germany 2006, twice getting his name on the scoresheet.

His goalscoring record is largely due to his ability to find space, his fierce shot and good timing in the air. He is technically-gifted and an instinctive finisher, with an excellent sense of positioning and he has recently managed to bring his hair-trigger temperament under control.