Bosnia and Herzegovina striker Edin Dzeko has announced that he will play his final match for the national team when the Dragons face Sweden on October 2, bringing an end to an illustrious international career.
The 40-year-old forward made the announcement on social media, admitting that it was difficult to put his emotions into words as he prepared to say goodbye to international football.
“Sometimes I found myself wondering when this moment would come. But I never imagined how emotional I would be writing these words,” Dzeko said, according to FIFA.
“On October 2nd, against Sweden, I will play my next and final match for our national team.”
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 one of the country’s most influential players, scoring nine goals during Bosnia and Herzegovina’s qualifying campaign for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Dzeko played a key role four years later as Bosnia and Herzegovina reached the World Cup for the first time in their 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 the country’s place at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
At the tournament, Dzeko scored the opening goal in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s first-ever World Cup victory, a 3-1 triumph over Iran.
His importance to the national team continued over the following years, including during the country’s latest World Cup qualification campaign.
Dzeko scored a late goal in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s UEFA play-off semi-final victory over Wales before the Dragons defeated Italy on penalties in Zenica to secure another World Cup appearance.
Reflecting on his international career, Dzeko said representing his country 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 leave the national team as Bosnia and Herzegovina’s record appearance holder and all-time leading goalscorer.
He has earned 151 international caps and scored 73 goals, cementing his status as one of the greatest players in the country’s football history.
His final appearance against Sweden on October 2 will mark the end of a remarkable international career spanning nearly two decades.
