Lausanne, Switzerland, May 18, 2018 - Serbia host reigning Olympic champions Brazil Friday in Kraljevo to wrap up the opening day of the inaugural 2018 FIVB Men's Volleyball Nations League - but the visiting side enjoy a wide lead of 27-10 in their head-to-head series against the Balkan team.
Head-to-Head
• In 37 world level major competition encounters, Serbia have beaten Brazil 10 times, while Brazil won 27 encounters.
• World level major competitions are: Olympic Games, World Championships, World Cup, World League and Grand Champions Cup.
• The last world level major encounter between these countries was won 3-1 by Brazil it the 2017 World League group 1 in Brazil.
• Serbia won three of the last five world level encounters with Brazil: twice at the 2016 World League (3-1, 3-0) and once at the 2015 World League (3-2).
• Serbia won the 2016 World League final in straight sets against Brazil, making them the only country in almost four years to beat Brazil in straight sets at a world level major competition.
Serbia
• Serbia have won a major world level competition twice: the 2016 World League and the 2000 Olympic Games (as Yugoslavia).
• Serbia's win at the 2016 World League was their first win at the World League after eight podium finishes.
• Serbia lost each of their last four world level major matches, all at the 2017 World League.
• Serbia finished third at the 2017 European Championship, losing the semifinals in five sets against Germany and winning the bronze-medal match 3-2 against Belgium.
• Serbia are ranked in 11th place on the FIVB world ranking.
Brazil
• Brazil (22) are the country to have won most major world level competitions, Russia (including Soviet Union and CIS) follow on 19 titles.
• Brazil are the only country to have won all five major world level competitions so far.
• Brazil won only two world level major competitions in the last four years: the 2016 Olympic Games and the 2017 Grand Champions Cup.
• Brazil's last defeat in a world level major competition came at the 2017 Grand Champions Cup, when they lost in five sets against Italy on 13 September, but still won the title.
• Brazil's last defeat in a world level major competition in less than five sets came in the 2017 World League, when they lost 3-1 against Argentina on 17 June 2017.
• Brazil have been ranked in the first place on the FIVB world ranking ever since the introduction of the new ranking system in 2006.