At 40 on the big stage: Dzeko leads Bosnia into its second World Cup adventure

That the veteran is even still in the squad is also thanks to FC Schalke 04. In the winter, he had moved from AC Fiorentina to the Royal Blues, scoring six goals in eleven matches and being one of the guarantors of Bundesliga promotion. Looking back, Dzeko spoke of a „brilliant decision“ and a „never ending story“ on the pitch. „Ich hätte nicht gedacht, dass ich mit 40 noch spielen würde“, he said in a Sky interview.

His recipe for success sounds simple: „Ich höre auf meinen Körper und trainiere intensiv vor und nach dem Training. Genau das tue ich.“ Dzeko is now his country's record national team player and all-time leading scorer. Ahead of the tournament, he stands at 148 caps, 73 goals, and 30 assists. In the second group match on June 18 against Switzerland, he could celebrate his 150th appearance in the national team jersey.

Barbarez raves about the mix of young and old

The stations of his career read like a travel guide through European elite football. In 2009, he led VfL Wolfsburg under coach Felix Magath to the club's still-only Bundesliga title, scoring 66 goals in 111 games, alongside Grafite and Zvjezdan Misimović. Strong years followed at Manchester City (100 competitive goals in 189 matches), six outstanding seasons at AS Roma (85 goals in 199 games, 260 competitive appearances with 174 goal involvements), as well as stints at Inter Milan (69 games, 22 goals) and Fenerbahçe Istanbul (71 games, 35 goals), before he joined Schalke in the winter of 2025/26.

Coach Sergej Barbarez, who himself played for clubs like Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen, Hamburger SV, and Hannover 96 in the 1990s and 2000s, sees Dzeko as the anchor of a team in which young and old mesh together. „Aber wenn ich sehe, wie er oder auch Sead Kolasinac oder Nikola Katic von den Jungs angesteckt wurden, dann geht mir das Herz auf“, Barbarez said after the dramatic playoff victory on penalties against Italy. The team, the 54-year-old continued, benefits from the interplay between „hungrigen Youngstern und Oldies“.

More than a game: The national team and the country's identity

The mood in the country is charged. After the playoff coups in Wales and against Italy, the entire nation of only around three million inhabitants is looking at Group B with the other opponents Switzerland and Qatar. Dzeko, who had recently had to sit out the World Cup opener against Canada due to a shoulder injury from the decisive qualifier against Italy, is expected to set the tone in attack. A possible goal haul has historical value: Should he score at this tournament, he would be only the second outfield player over 40 to score a World Cup goal, after Roger Milla (Cameroon, 1994 at 41). The only players older than Dzeko at this World Cup are goalkeeper Craig Gordon (43) and the outfield players Cristiano Ronaldo (41) and Luka Modrić (40).

Behind the sporting fascination lies a deeper dimension. Dzeko was six years old when the Bosnian War broke out. In interviews, he speaks openly about what the national team means for his country: „Viele Menschen sind emigriert, vor allem aufgrund des Krieges, die Nationalmannschaft ist der einzige Berührungspunkt mit der Heimat.“ The dreams of a knockout stage are therefore more than sporting ambition – they are a piece of identity. Looking back at the frenziedly celebrated qualification through the playoffs, Dzeko said: „Man konnte es in den Gesichtern der Menschen sehen, die alles vergessen und nur gefeiert haben.“

Uncertain future at Schalke

The coach remains sober despite all the euphoria. Before the opening match, Barbarez warned: „Wenn man mit Herzblut spielt, geht es immer hart zur Sache. Ich übertreibe zwar ein bisschen, aber es wird auf jeden Fall ein intensives Spiel, was beiden Mannschaften entgegenkommt.“ Dzeko himself looked ahead and warned against overconfidence: „Und wir müssen auf dem Boden bleiben und von Spiel zu Spiel schauen“, the captain cautioned. About his star player, Barbarez meanwhile almost waxes lyrical: „Edin ist hier und bereit. Ich versuche, so wenig wie möglich über ihn zu sagen, denn jedes Wort ist überflüssig. Über Menschen wie ihn sollte man Lieder singen, nicht reden.“

What remains unclear, however, is the striker's future beyond the tournament. His contract at Schalke expires, and a stay in Gelsenkirchen is open. „Es hängt davon ab, wie er sich fühlt und wie unsere Gespräche laufen. Ich gebe ihm Freiraum, selbst mitzuentscheiden, was er will und wie lange es geht“, Barbarez explained. Dzeko himself made it clear: „Ich bin nicht mehr der Jüngste, aber ich kann noch ein bisschen was beitragen. Wir sind hier, um gute Ergebnisse zu erzielen und nicht, um Party oder Urlaub zu machen.“

On Friday evening in Toronto, what they have „immer erträumt" begins for Dzeko and Bosnia-Herzegovina – a second chance, this time to advance beyond the group stage.