Bosnia and Italy face each other this Tuesday (31) in a qualifying playoff for the World cupin a confrontation that puts face to face two teams trying to end a 12-year fast without competing in the tournament.
The match also brings back historical memories, including Bosnia’s first international victory as an independent nation.
The possibility of Italy, four-time world champion, being left out of one already dominates the news. The last Italian participation was in 2014 — precisely the only edition played by Bosnia in history.
Since then, the record of both teams has been negative. Italy fell at this stage in the qualifiers for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, while Bosnia was eliminated at the same stage towards the 2010 World Cup and also failed in the playoffs of the last four editions of the European Championship.
The duel also carries symbolic weight for the Bosnians. The team’s first victory after independence, almost 30 years ago, was against Italy.
Bosnian players had participated in World Cups since 1950, when they were part of the former Yugoslavia. After declaring independence in 1992, the country only obtained official affiliation with FIFA in 1996.
Bosnia’s first qualifying campaign took place that year, aiming for the 1998 World Cup. Shortly after the end of the Bosnian War, Sarajevo hosted its first international game: a friendly against Italy, in November 1996.
The Italian team was the first to play in the city after the siege between 1992 and 1995, in a gesture that symbolized to the world that Sarajevo was once again a safe place for international football.
The match, the fifth official match in Bosnia’s history, was played in the early afternoon due to the lack of lighting at the Kosevo Olympic Stadium. Around 40 thousand fans watched the game, broadcast live on Italian television.
“The meaning of this game goes far beyond sport”, said the commentator of RAIBruno Pizzul, on the occasion.
On the field, Bosnia won 2-1, achieving their first international triumph and marking their arrival on the global stage. The defeat led to the resignation of then Italian Arrigo Sacchi.
High pressure in decisive game
Three decades later, the scenario is different, but the pressure remains high. A new Italian elimination would deepen the crisis in one of the most traditional teams in world football, which seeks to interrupt a period of decline since the World Cup title won 20 years ago.
Italy arrives after two resounding defeats to Norway in the qualifiers, which sent them back to the playoffs. After playing at home last Thursday, the team is trying to end the World Cup drought with a positive result away from home.
Bosnia also finished second in their group with just one. In the playoff semi-final, they beat Wales on penalties and are now looking for their second appearance in the World Cup.
The weather conditions interfered with the Italian preparation. The snow that fell in Zenica on Saturday, followed by rain on Sunday, raised concerns about the state of the pitch. Therefore, the team led by Gennaro Gattuso opted to train at their base, in Coverciano, on Monday morning.
Furthermore, the Bilino Polje Stadium will have reduced capacity due to disciplinary sanctions imposed by FIFA following incidents in Bosnia’s last home match against Romania in November.
Even with limited attendance and adverse weather, the expectation is for an intense atmosphere in Zenica for a decisive confrontation — which will guarantee one of the teams a return to the World Cup after more than a decade of absence.
