World Cup 2010 Predictions: Serbia's Neven Subotic Poised for Best Summer Ever

Serbian center-back Neven Subotic is surely going to have a busy, and exciting summer.

Borussia Dortmund's defender is set to fight with Nemanja Vidic for a starting spot at the World Cup. After a great year in Germany, half of England is one step behind him, looking to see if Subotic performs in South Africa.

What haunts the US side as they arrive in the African continent is that Subotic could be with them right now, aiding an American defense very much in need for young and talented players like him.

Subotic was born in Serbia, but raised in the US after his family moved to Salt Lake City, where he developed his skills, and with the passing of the years, became part of the U-17 national team, playing in the U-17 World Cup in 2005.

One year later, he joined Mainz and was had a starting role in the best defense of Germany's Second Division.

After Thomas Rongen decided to drop him from the U-20 World Cup roster in 2007, the Serbian defender found more support in Serbia, and in 2010, he will be in South Africa as one of the defenders with the most potential in Europe.

Serbia's coach Radomir Antic has praised him in a way that marks a player for the rest of his career. He called him "the new Fernando Hierro," which by itself means he could be the backbone for Serbia for many years.

If Subotic does become an active part of Serbia's World Cup in a few days and proves his worth, he will most likely join an English team over the summer. Tottenham's Harry Redknapp is ready to make an offer over $15 million to Borussia to bring the next Hierro to White Hart Lane.

At the same time, interest from Manchester United (where he would join fellow countryman Vidic) and Arsenal has also been rumored.

While the Serbian defender continues to improve and turn heads in Germany, the US will have to pray to not see him on the other side of the field in the latter stages of the World Cup.

Even though only a miracle by either the US or Serbia, finishing on top of their group to England and Germany respectively, would see them head to head in the round of 16, the chances are there. Subotic could potentially end the Yanks' dreams as a personal vendetta for the way he was treated some years ago.

No matter how Subotic performs this summer, he will most likely become one of the best defenders in his national side, and the US will have to see the young defender's evolution from afar.

Meanwhile, the best defender that Thomas Rongen called for that 2007 U-20 World Cup in Canada, Amaechi Igwe, plays for FC Ingolstad 04, in Germany's Third Division.