On paper, the odds seemed stacked in Italy’s favour: the Azzurri appeared poised to reach their first global showpiece since the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™. The Italians had ousted Northern Ireland in the UEFA play-off semi-finals and believed they had laid the ghosts of the past to rest. What they had not accounted for, however, was the determination of a Bosnia and Herzegovina side chasing a dream of their own – and also looking to put a 12-year hiatus behind them.
The drama in Zenica went all the way to penalties after an intense, evenly matched encounter in which Haris Tabakovic’s 79th-minute equaliser cancelled out ten-man Italy’s early opener. In the end, it was the hosts who held their nerve from the spot to reach a historic milestone and send an entire nation into pandemonium.
“It’s impossible to put into words what we experienced,” Stuttgart star Ermedin Demirovic told FIFA. “We’d been waiting for this moment since we were children. Our biggest dream came true.”
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s only previous FIFA World Cup™ campaign came at Brazil 2014, when a golden generation led by Miralem Pjanic, Asmir Begovic and Edin Dzeko proudly represented Zmajevi (the Dragons) on the global stage.
An enduring symbol and leader, Dzeko has long been a major source of inspiration for Demirovic. “This qualification is for him too. He’s always been my idol – I always dreamt of playing alongside him, learning from him and trying to follow in his footsteps.”
Demirovic made clear just how influential the veteran former Wolfsburg, Manchester City and Roma sharpshooter had been. “He taught me never to give up; no matter whether I had made a mistake or scored, he always told me to keep going. That’s the most important thing.”
Having finished second in Group H, the Balkan outfit went on to overcome Wales on penalties in the UEFA play-off semi-finals, having also plundered a late leveller on that occasion, this one courtesy of none other than Dzeko. That result only served to strengthen head coach Sergej Barbarez’s belief in his players. “I was very calm during the shoot-out against Italy,” Barbarez recalled. “I knew we’d get through. We’d been in a similar situation five days earlier and I trusted the players.”
That faith paid dividends. “It shows this team have character and take pride in representing our country – that was my main objective,” stressed the tactician.
Bosnia and Herzegovina will now turn their attention to Group B, where they will open their sophomore World Cup campaign against co-hosts Canada before facing Switzerland and Qatar. “First of all, we’ll show who we are,” insisted Barbarez. “The results speak for themselves – we’ll make life difficult for every opponent. We want to prove we can mix it with the best.”
That confidence stems from a squad that blends youthful promise with valuable experience. “We’ve got a lot of exciting youngsters and experienced players too. That balance is crucial,” added Demirovic, who made no attempt to hide his side’s ambition. “The sky’s the limit for this team; we have a strong squad and we’re heading into a major tournament.”
Given the quality and grit they have displayed up to this point, there is every reason to take the coach and attacker at their word and view Bosnia and Herzegovina as potential dark horses in North America.
