Bosnia and Herzegovina – Ukraine. Milosevic’s international for the match with the blue-yellows: more than half of the players from the Bosnians’ application were born in other countries

March 21 in the semi-final match of the Euro 2024 qualifying playoffs Ukrainian national team will play with the Bosnian national team. Bosnian national team coach Savo Milosevic called up 27 players to the game with the blue-yellows. 14 of them – were born outside of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Five have experience playing for youth teams, and some for national teams of other countries. The reason is the wars in the Balkans in the 1990s and the large number of refugees. Unfortunately, due to Russia’s large-scale military aggression against Ukraine, our country may find itself in a similar situation.

The Bosnian War of Independence, which currently involved four independent states formed after the collapse of Yugoslavia (in addition to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia took part in it) lasted almost four years. Due to large-scale and brutal military operations, according to various sources, about 2 million people – 50% of the population – left Bosnia and Herzegovina. The majority moved to Europe, where they settled. Many traveled with children, many had children in a new place.

As a result, the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team now has four players born in Germany, three players each born in Austria and Sweden, one each in Switzerland, North Macedonia, Croatia and the Netherlands.

Moreover, five players from the current squad of the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team once played for youth teams, and some for the national teams of other countries.

Miralem Pjanic has seven matches for the Luxembourg youth teams. Sead Kolasinac has made 14 appearances for various Germany U20 teams. Denis Huseinbsic has five matches for the German youth team. Anel Ahmedhodzic started playing in Sweden with the U-16 national team and even played one match for the national team of this country. Well, Dennis Hadzikadunich, having started his performances for the Swedish national teams at the age of 16, ended them playing for the Tre Kronur youth team.

All things considered, FIFA is quite loyal to Balkan players in terms of changing their football citizenship. Plus, according to relatively recently adopted regulatory standards, football players who have played one official match for one national team are allowed to play for another team. However, if this match was not in the final tournament of the World Cup or the Confederations Cup.

Of the 27 players called up by Milosevic for the match with Ukraine, 26 are foreign players. The Bosnia and Herzegovina Championship is represented only by forward Nemanja Bilbija from Zrinjski. Six players from the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team play in Germany, five in Turkey. There are representatives from Italy, the Netherlands and the UAE.