After a long wait of 12 years, the Bosnia team has returned to the biggest stage of football. The team has made this place by defeating a giant team like Italy in the European play-offs.
Toronto: Disappointing Italian fans around the world, Bosnia has canceled its ticket to the FIFA World Cup 2026 this time. The Bosnian team, which surprised a big team like Italy in the penalty shootout of the European play-off, is now expected to pull off a similar upset in the World Cup. The team’s first match is against co-host Canada in Toronto.
Bosnia’s team has returned to this football extravaganza after a long gap of 12 years. But this is not just a comeback, the real strength of this team is a captain who does not shy away from shedding blood and sweat on the field. We are talking about 40 year old captain Edin Dzeko, who is the heartbeat of the Bosnian team. He is close to 40, but even today he fights for the team with the same enthusiasm and passion. If you want to see Dzeko’s spirit, then that important play-off match against Italy is enough.
Despite suffering a serious shoulder injury during the match, Dzeko remained on the field regardless of the pain. And when the team achieved the historic moment of qualifying for the World Cup, he was celebrating the victory by running on the field with his injured hand tied to his body. This sight was heart touching for any football fan.
This time Bosnia has been placed in a group with hosts Canada, Switzerland and Qatar. The Bosnian camp believes that they can reach the next round from this group. Captain Dzeko said that it is a matter of great pride to play in the World Cup for his country. He said, “Wearing the country’s jersey on a stage like the World Cup is an honor that cannot be expressed in words. It is an opportunity to show our fighting spirit to the world.”
Bosnia’s best performance in World Cup history is their win against Iran in 2014. This time the team wants to carry forward the same winning streak. At present, the only concern of the team is the captain’s injury. But when Italy was defeated in the qualifiers, Dzeko was still encouraging his teammates from the sideline despite sitting out due to injury. This heroic spirit is Bosnia’s biggest strength this time too.