Edin Dzeko will join a very select group of players to feature in the finals of a World Cup after his 40th birthday, having been named in Bosnia-Herzegovina‘s squad for this summer’s tournament.
Dzeko’s inclusion is no surprise, as the Schalke striker scored six goals in nine appearances in helping Bosnia reach the finals for the first time since 2014, including an equaliser in the play-off semi-final against Wales.
Only seven players have featured in the World Cup after their 40th birthday, though six of them were goalkeepers.
Roger Milla is the sole outfield player on the list, having made two appearances for Cameroon at the 1994 World Cup. Milla scored in his final World Cup appearance, a 6-1 defeat to Russia.
Dzeko, Modric and Ronaldo set to make history
Croatia’s Luka Modric, 40, and Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, are also expected to emulate Milla by featuring at this year’s tournament in North America.
But it is Dzeko who will do so first, as Bosnia face co-hosts Canada on June 12, the second day of the tournament, in Toronto.
Dzeko featured in all three of Bosnia’s games at the 2014 World Cup, scoring in their 3-1 win over Iran as they finished third in Group F.
Drawn alongside Canada, Qatar and Switzerland in Group B, a Bosnia side that beat Italy on penalties to reach the finals will have expectations of reaching the knockouts of the expanded 48-team tournament for the first time in their history.
Bosnia-Herzegovina squad in full
Goalkeepers: Nikola Vasilj (St Pauli), Martin Zlomislic (Rijeka), Osman Hadzikic (Slaven Belupo)
Defenders: Sead Kolasinac (Atalanta), Amar Dedic (Benfica), Nihad Mujakic (Gaziantep), Nikola Katic (Schalke 04), Tarik Muharemovic (Sassuolo), Stjepan Radeljic (Rijeka), Dennis Hadzikadunic (Sampdoria), Nidal Celik (Lens)
Midfielders: Amir Hadziahmetovic (Hull City), Ivan Sunjic (Pafos), Ivan Basic (Astana), Dzenis Burnic (Karlsruher SC), Ermin Mahmic (Slovan Liberec), Benjamin Tahirovic (Brondby), Amar Memic (Viktoria Plzen), Armin Gigovic (Young Boys), Kerim Alajbegovic (RB Salzburg), Esmir Bajraktarevic (PSV Eindhoven)
Forwards: Ermedin Demirovic (Stuttgart), Jovo Lukic (Universitatea Cluj), Samed Bazdar (Jagiellonia Bialystok), Haris Tabakovic (Borussia Monchengladbach), Edin Dzeko (Schalke)
