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| Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team | |
|---|---|
| Name | Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team |
| Nickname | Zmajevi |
| Association | Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Confederation | UEFA (Europe) |
| Coach | Savo Milošević |
| Captain | Edin Džeko |
| Most caps | Edin Džeko |
| Top scorer | Edin Džeko |
| Home stadium | Bilino Polje Stadium |
| Fifa trigramme | BIH |
| Fifa max | 13 |
| Fifa min | 173 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team represents Bosnia and Herzegovina in international Association football and is governed by the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Formed following the breakup of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and recognized by FIFA and UEFA, the team qualified for its first FIFA World Cup in 2014 and has competed in UEFA Nations League and World Cup qualification cycles. Prominent figures associated with the team include players developed in clubs such as FK Željezničar Sarajevo, FK Sarajevo, FK Velež Mostar, and professionals plying careers at Manchester City, Inter Milan, Roma, and Fiorentina.
The team's origins trace to the dissolution of Yugoslavia and the aftermath of the Bosnian War (1992–1995), with the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina gaining international recognition in the late 1990s alongside member associations like the Football Association of Serbia and the Croatian Football Federation. Early fixtures included matches against nations such as Tunisia, Iran, Greece, and Slovenia. The development pathway featured contributions from coaches and managers who previously worked within the Yugoslav First League system and from diaspora talent playing at clubs like Bayer Leverkusen, Hamburger SV, Everton, Newcastle United, and Schalke 04. Qualification campaigns for UEFA Euro 2008, UEFA Euro 2012, 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification, and the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification showcased fixtures against Portugal, Spain, Italy, Germany, and Austria. The apex achievement was qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, featuring notable victories over Slovenia and draws with Greece and Lithuania during qualification; the tournament squad included players experienced at clubs like Manchester City and Roma. Post-2014 periods involved participation in the UEFA Nations League with matches against Northern Ireland, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina's rivals, and campaigns affected by managerial changes involving figures linked to AC Milan, Sampdoria, Valencia, and Paris Saint-Germain academies.
The team's nickname, "Zmajevi" (the Dragons), references cultural symbols tied to Mostar, Medieval Bosnia, and national motifs used in kits produced by manufacturers such as Nike, Adidas, Puma, and partnerships with suppliers seen at clubs like FC Schalke 04 and Hellas Verona. Home colours traditionally feature blue, white, and sometimes yellow, echoing the flags associated with the state and cantonal heraldry like that of Sarajevo Canton and Herzegovina-Neretva Canton. The crest used by the association incorporates elements related to Bosnia and Herzegovina state insignia and motifs paralleling icons found in Stari Most imagery and regional sporting emblems from clubs such as FK Željezničar Sarajevo and HŠK Zrinjski Mostar.
Matches have been staged at venues across the country including Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica, Asim Ferhatović Hase Stadium in Sarajevo, Grbavica Stadium in Sarajevo, and Stadion Pecara in Široki Brijeg. Bilino Polje has hosted many competitive fixtures including World Cup qualifiers, while Sarajevo stadiums have accommodated friendlies and UEFA Nations League matches, with logistics linked to municipal authorities like City of Zenica and event coordination with bodies such as UEFA and FIFA venue inspectors.
Coaching appointments have included managers of diverse backgrounds with links to Yugoslav coaching traditions and European systems; names associated with the role have had prior experience at clubs like Red Star Belgrade, Partizan Belgrade, Dinamo Zagreb, FC Copenhagen, and Standard Liège. The technical staff often includes specialists drawn from academies like AC Milan Youth Sector, Ajax Youth Academy, La Masia, and national setups such as England national football team and Germany national football team coaching programs. The Football Association administers selections, match scheduling, and commercial partnerships with sponsors and broadcasters active across UEFA competitions.
Player selection historically blends domestic performers from Premijer Liga clubs—FK Sarajevo, FK Željezničar Sarajevo, HŠK Zrinjski Mostar, NK Široki Brijeg—and internationals employed at European clubs such as Manchester City, AS Roma, Inter Milan, ACF Fiorentina, FC Schalke 04, Everton F.C., Newcastle United F.C., Bayer Leverkusen, VfL Wolfsburg, and Fenerbahçe. Iconic players include Edin Džeko (captain, forward), midfielders and defenders who spent careers at Roma, Manchester City, Juventus, AC Milan, and Borussia Dortmund affiliates. Youth prospects often emerge from academies connected to Dinamo Zagreb Academy, Hajduk Split Academy, FK Partizan Academy, Red Star Belgrade Academy, and Western European clubs. The squad lists for competitive cycles and friendly windows have featured names with caps and goals recorded versus nations like Greece, Slovenia, Portugal, Norway, and Austria.
Bosnia and Herzegovina have contested qualifying groups in FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Championship cycles, facing teams such as Portugal, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Germany, Northern Ireland, Ukraine, and Belgium. The highlight is qualification for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, where the team competed in the group stage alongside nations from confederations represented by squads like Argentina and Iran. In UEFA Nations League play, Bosnia and Herzegovina have been grouped with European sides including Austria, Slovenia, Northern Ireland, and Bulgaria in various editions, impacting seeding for subsequent qualifiers.
Recent and upcoming fixtures have included competitive matches and friendlies scheduled during FIFA international windows against opponents such as Italy, Belgium, Portugal, Greece, Slovenia, Croatia, Austria, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. The association publishes match dates coordinated with UEFA and FIFA calendars, stadium allocations in venues like Zenica and Sarajevo, and squad announcements integrating domestic league deadlines like those of the Premijer Liga and transfer windows in European football.
Category:European national association football teams Category:Football in Bosnia and Herzegovina