Dzeko Calls on Bosnia Fans to Applaud Italy and its Anthem in Play-off Final

Bosnia and Herzegovina national team captain Edin Dzeko has appealed to his country's supporters to applaud the Italian national team and its anthem during Tuesday's upcoming World Cup play-off final. He emphasized, "Italy came to play friendly matches after the war in 1996. For this, we will always be grateful."

Dzeko: "Italy came to play friendly matches after the Bosnian war, we are always grateful"

The Azzurri will travel to chilly Zenica to face Bosnia and Herzegovina, vying for a spot in the 2026 World Cup tournament. Gennaro Gattuso’s squad is the highest-ranked team in the world yet to secure their place in the World Cup, and they must defeat Bosnia away from home to avoid missing a third consecutive major tournament.

Italy secured their place in the play-off final by beating Northern Ireland 2-0 in Bergamo, thanks to second-half goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean. On the same evening, Dzeko scored an equalizer in the 86th minute, which helped Bosnia secure a penalty shootout victory over Wales in Cardiff.

Ahead of the crucial decider on Tuesday night, there has been much discussion from both sides. However, Dzeko has urged a display of respect towards Italy and its national team, considering their past gestures of goodwill towards Bosnia during challenging times.

"Everyone should stand up and applaud when the Italian anthem begins. Italy came to play friendly matches after the Bosnian war in 1996. For this, we are always grateful," Dzeko stated during his pre-match press conference.

"Then, for 90 minutes, it will be a battle. Friends afterwards, as before. Whatever happens, happens."

Italy has played Bosnia and Herzegovina six times: with four wins, one draw, and one loss.

The sole defeat occurred in the very first encounter between the two teams in 1996, when an Azzurri side, led by Arrigo Sacchi, traveled to Sarajevo for a friendly match shortly after the end of the Bosnian war.

That team included players such as Paolo Maldini, Dino Baggio, Roberto Di Matteo, Gianfranco Zola, and Enrico Chiesa. The latter two combined for Italy’s only goal in a match that ended in a 2-1 defeat to the newly formed national team of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

All other matches between Italy and Bosnia have taken place within the last seven years. They met twice in qualification for EURO 2020 (both games resulting in Azzurri victories), twice during the 2020-21 Nations League campaign, and once in an international friendly just before the start of EURO 2024.