BELGRADE, April 6 (Reuters) - A 39-year old Serbian soccer fan started trekking to South Africa on Tuesday and plans to reach the country in time for his nation’s opening World Cup Group D match against Ghana in Pretoria on June 13.

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 soccer tournament as an independent nation.