World Cup 2026: Edin Dzeko still going strong for Bosnia
Key takeaways
- With all so much unpleasantness surrounding this World Cup it's easy to forget that there's anything about it that can generate a smile.
- But 12 years after Bosnia-Herzegovina failed to make it out of the group stage in Brazil, the now 40-year-old striker and his country are back on the game's biggest stage.
- That independence came at a heavy price, as it was engulfed in one of the wars that followed the breakup of the former Yugoslavia.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
With all so much unpleasantness surrounding this World Cup it's easy to forget that there's anything about it that can generate a smile. Bosnia captain Edin Dzeko's story can.
https://p.dw.com/p/5EVv BEdin Dzeko helped Schalke win Bundesliga 2 and gain promotion back to the topflight Image: Maximilian Koch/picture alliance Advertisement If Edin Dzeko played for a bigger footballing nation, this wouldn't be just his second appearance at the tournament. But 12 years after Bosnia-Herzegovina failed to make it out of the group stage in Brazil, the now 40-year-old striker and his country are back on the game's biggest stage.
Although Bosnia, which gained its independence in 1992, has only made it to the one previous World Cup and never qualified for a European Championship, Dzeko has played an incredible 148 times (scoring 73 goals) for his country.