There was one iconic moment at the Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica on Tuesday that could not have gone unnoticed by anyone who loves the beautiful game: the sight of Edin Dzeko – who turned 40 on 17 March – still sprinting to close down opponents in the dying minutes of extra time like a young lad with a point to prove.
A few minutes later, before Bosnia and Herzegovina’s epic penalty shootout victory over Italy, Dzeko’s right shoulder was bandaged up following a foul by Davide Frattesi. Putting his body on the line, the Bosanski Dijamant (The Bosnian Diamond) shone brightly to guide his team over the final hurdle and a place at the FIFA World Cup™ for just the second time in their relatively short history.
Dzeko turns back the clock
With 85 minutes on the clock in Cardiff, Wales were 1-0 up and qualification for a UEFA play-off final was in their grasp. Craig Bellamy’s Red Dragons had yet to be tested by the greatest goalscorer in Bosnian history, who is far ahead of the rest with 73 to his name.
Labud iz Sarajeva (The Swan of Sarajevo) rose above the rest and nodded in a corner fiercely whipped in by Kerim Alajbegovic to equalise, taking the contest to extra-time. Neither team managed to break the deadlock, so a penalty shootout ensued. This was the first of two shootout triumphs that earned Sergej Barbarez’s team a place at the North American showpiece.
In the play-off final against Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s spearhead and captain also played a part in the equaliser to make it 1-1, getting on the end of a cross from Amar Dedic and forcing Gianluigi Donnarumma into a save from close range, before Haris Tabakovic poked in the rebound.
However, Dzeko had already begun leading The Dragons forward during the UEFA qualifiers. His first goal of the campaign was decisive, against San Marino in a 1-0 home win. In the away fixture against La Serenissima, the marksman – who moved from Fiorentina to Schalke in the recent winter transfer window – bagged a quickfire brace. After finding the net against eventual group winners Austria in a 2-1 defeat at home, Dzeko inspired his side to a crucial 3-1 comeback win against Romania, which helped earn them their place in the UEFA play-offs as group runners-up.
Although his name does not appear on the scoresheet against Italy, his performance – full of sacrifice, quality and determination – secured his and his country’s second World Cup appearance, capping off a journey that began in March 2025 in fine fashion.
Dzeko at Brazil 2014
The Bosnians’ campaign in their sole previous appearance at the global finals, at Brazil 2014, got off to a rocky start, with an unfortunate 2-1 defeat to Argentina, followed by a narrow 1-0 loss at the hands of Nigeria.
It is the third match they played that went down in the nation’s history, as the Bosnians secured their first – and still only – World Cup win. No prizes for guessing who scored the opener in that 3-1 victory over IR Iran in Salvador. Who else but The Bosnian Diamond?
A left-footed daisy-cutter from outside the box kissed the inside of the post before ending up behind the helpless Alireza Haghighi. Further goals followed from Miralem Pjanic and Avdija Vrsajevic, with Reza Ghoochannejhad’s effort for the Iranians coming just before that third Bosnian goal.
At the age of 40, Dzeko will have another chance to write history with Bosnia and Herzegovina and add to his World Cup goal tally this summer in North America. Barbarez’s side will face co-hosts Canada, Qatar and Switzerland in Group B in Dzeko’s unexpected last dance.
