Antic will steer the team through the World Cup qualifiers against France, Lithuania, Romania, Austria and the Faroe Islands and if he is successful his contract will be extended until July 2010.

The 59-year-old returns to football after a four-year absence and replaces Miroslav Dukic, who was sacked on Monday night after failing to win a game since taking charge in December 2007, and a disastrous Olympic Games where Serbia recorded a solitary point.

"Radomir Antic is the new coach of the team. He has accepted our offer," Karadzic told reporters in Vienna where the Serbian lives.

Antic enjoyed a 16-year coaching career in Spain after taking over the reins at former club Real Zaragoza and is one of only two men to have led both Real Madrid and Barcelona.

The former defender also guided another of Real's bitter rivals, Atletico Madrid where his greatest successes were achieved.

In the first of three stints at Atletico he led them to a Primera Liga and Copa del Rey double, while at Barca, he steered them from an embarrassing 15th place in the table when he took over to sixth spot.

Antic enjoyed a 17-year playing career until he retired in 1984, following a four-year spell at Luton Town where he notably saved them from relegation out of the top flight in 1983 with a goal four minutes from the end of the final match of the season.