Draped in a Serbia flag, Sasa Jovic set off on foot from the Balkan country's central city of Cacak with just a back-pack and a world map in his bid to cover 16,000 kilometres by road and sea.
"I've decided to take to take a road less travelled and I plan to get to South Africa on foot, while I will also hitch-hike and take public transport when possible," Jovic told Belgrade media.
"I've been planning this trip for a year, I will travel via Bulgaria, Turkey, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia and Botswana, and I hope the national team will give me plenty to cheer about when I get there."
Serbia also play Germany in Port Elizabeth on June 18 and Australia in Nelspruit five days later.
The June 11 - July 11 tournament will be Serbia's first major football tournament as an independent nation.
