Sergej Barbarez, a former captain who waited 15 years for the chance to manage his country, has led Bosnia and Herzegovina to only their second World Cup appearance. The team, which had managed just four wins in their previous 19 matches, qualified by eliminating Wales and Italy in dramatic playoffs. Barbarez, who had no prior coaching experience, took over in 2024 and focused on rebuilding the squad’s mentality.
Barbarez gathered former teammates Emir Spahic, Sasa Papac and Zlatan Bajramovic around him. In his first year, 16 players made their debuts, most of them raised abroad in Sweden, Germany, Austria and the United States. Despite going winless in his first eight matches and facing heavy criticism, Barbarez insisted on a complete reset after years of dysfunction.
Bosnia’s style is built on aggressive defending, direct football and quick transitions, often shifting between 4-2-3-1 and 4-4-2 formations. Young talents like Kerim Alajbegovic, Esmir Bajraktarevic, Tarik Muharemovic and Amar Dedic have injected energy into a squad still led by veteran Edin Dzeko. At 40, Dzeko remains the country’s greatest footballer and all-time leading goalscorer, delivering crucial performances in the playoffs.
Bosnia are drawn in Group B with Canada, Switzerland and Qatar. While they are unlikely to dominate matches, their emotional energy and unpredictability could make them an uncomfortable opponent. Barbarez, who previously played professional poker and had almost given up on the job, has transformed from an outsider into one of Bosnia’s most important sporting figures.
