Stankovic is the only player who played at three World Cups with three different countries. How did that happen?

Political unrest and referendums helped Dejan Stankovic achieve a record that may never be matched in history - playing at three World Cups with three different countries.

Stankovic appeared at the World Cup with Yugoslavia in France 98'. He was just 20 at the time and played three group stage matches.

The unified nation of Yugoslavia was eventually dissolved in 2001, with Serbia and Montenegro one of the five nations emerging from the dissolution.

Stankovic would go on to represent Serbia and Montenegro at the World Cup in Germany in 2006.

But one month before the 2010 World Cup, another referendum took place and Serbia and Montenegro became separate nations.

Stankovic was eligible to play for Serbia at the World Cup. And he did - representing his new country at the tournament in South Africa.

Unfortunately for Stankovic, despite holding the rare record, he never played beyond the World Cup with any of his three different countries.

Source: Besoccer