DZEKO TO MAKE FINAL BOSNIA APPEARANCE AGAINST SWEDEN

Read Time:1 Minute, 59 Second

By; Sunmola Ganiyat

Bosnia and Herzegovina striker Edin Dzeko is set to make his final appearance for the national team when the Dragons face Sweden on October 2.

The 40-year-old forward announced his retirement from international football in a social media post, describing the decision as an emotional moment.

Dzeko said he had often wondered when the time would come to end his international career but admitted he never imagined how difficult it would be to announce his departure.

“On October 2, against Sweden, I will play my next and final match for our national team,” he said.

Dzeko made his Bosnia and Herzegovina debut at the age of 21, scoring in a 3-2 UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying victory over Türkiye.

He soon became a key figure for the national team, scoring nine goals during the qualifying campaign for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

In 2013, Dzeko played a crucial role as Bosnia and Herzegovina qualified for the World Cup for the first time in the country’s history. He scored 10 goals during the qualifying campaign and assisted Vedad Ibisevic’s decisive goal in the 1-0 victory over Lithuania that secured their place at Brazil 2014.

At the tournament, Dzeko scored the opening goal in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s first-ever World Cup victory, a 3-1 win over Iran.

His influence continued throughout his international career, including the country’s latest World Cup qualification campaign. He scored a late goal in the Dragons’ UEFA play-off semi-final victory over Wales before they defeated Italy on penalties in Zenica to secure another World Cup appearance.

Reflecting on his international career, Dzeko said representing Bosnia and Herzegovina had been the greatest source of pride throughout his football journey.

“Nothing in my career has ever compared to the pride I have felt every single time I wore that shirt,” he said.

“It was my childhood dream, a dream I carried with me on each of the 151 occasions I had the honour of representing my country on a football pitch.”

Dzeko will retire as Bosnia and Herzegovina’s most-capped player and all-time leading goalscorer, having made 151 appearances and scored 73 goals for the national team.

His final outing against Sweden will bring an end to one of the most remarkable international careers in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s football history.