With optimism high for the 2002 tournament in Japan and South Korea, Slovenia were soon on the plane back to Europe after three successive defeats condemned them to bottom spot in Group B without a single point to their name.

The squad was also torn apart with star player Zlatko Zahovic sent home after the team's opening game following a row with coach Srecko Katanec.

But midfielder Koren is keen to stress things are different now - both on and off the pitch.

Slovenia, populated by just two million people, showed harmony and belief aplenty as they shrugged off the tag of underdogs to qualify for the finals by triumphing on away goals in their play-off with mighty Russia.

Koren said: "Eight years after and nobody is thinking too much about what happened in 2002.

"We are playing a different style. Before we only had one star in the team (Zahovic). But now we try to play more like a team and don't have one star.

"We are very good friends and have a good team spirit. It's a massive difference.

"You can't compare these two teams, it was a long time ago when that happened. We just want to show the people that we are good enough and claim enough points to get through the group stage."

To achieve their aim Slovenia must break their World Cup duck and get off to a winning start in their opening Group C match against Algeria in Polokwane on June 13.

A potential qualifying decider against USA follows before they end the first stage with a clash against group favourites England - the country in which Koren plies his trade for West Brom, this season helping them secure an immediate return to the Barclays Premier League.

And the 29-year-old, who had 45 international caps and four goals to his name heading into the pre-World Cup programme, insists anything is possible for Matjaz Kek's side.

"A couple of months back when we met Russia in the play-offs, everybody was saying we will lose this game and Russia is in the World Cup - this was being said all over the world. But we are in the World Cup and we deserve that," he said.

"We are full of confidence - in the last seven games to get there we have won five of them. We are doing everything for each other on the field and we are up for this challenge.

"Our target is to get through the group stage, even if nobody expects that.

"Everyone is saying England is the favourite and in England they are saying USA is the second favourite, but we are not bothered about these things. We will try to win each game and get some points. Every game starts at 0-0."

So with England boasting Wayne Rooney and USA Landon Donovan, who do Slovenia have to spearhead their hopes of success in South Africa?

"In our team it's difficult to say one name who is the star in the team," replied a down-to-earth and warming Koren.

"There is Milivoje Novakovic, he's playing in Germany (for Cologne) and is one of our biggest players and scored five goals in the group stage.

"I also scored two, and Zlatko Dedic scored three so it's not as though just one player is doing a massive thing.

"We are such a small country and we know that we all need to work hard like a team together to win something.

"This (attitude) is why we are going to the World Cup."