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“I didn’t think I would play at 40,” admits Edin Dzeko. But here he is. Not just the game, but preparing to captain Bosnia and Herzegovina at the 2026 World Cup, coming into the tournament fresh off a title win with Schalke in Germany.
Couldn’t have thought it was possible even ten years ago. “But I’m listening to my body and doing a lot of work before and after training because I’m obviously not young anymore and I need to take care of my legs, my body and what I’m doing,” he says.
“Maybe when you’re young, you don’t think too much about coming in before training and staying in the gym 30 to 45 minutes before training to do resistance work, and then staying 30 to 45, an hour after training, to do some other resistance work.
“Maybe as a young player, when you’re 20, you say I don’t have time for this, I want to go with friends or have coffee or something for lunch. When you get older, you realize that if you want to compete at the best level and stay in football for that long, your body needs it.”
The longevity of the gecko is remarkable. He is the third-oldest outfield player at the World Cup but two of his seniors, Ballon d’Or-winning duo Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric, were teenage trendsetters. Modric was Bosnia’s player of the year at the age of 18.
In the same season, in the same league, Dzeko Zeljo was a struggling midfielder. The story goes that there were people at the club who thought they had won the lottery in 2005 when they flogged the dashing youngster to Czech side Taplis for a five-figure sum.
Almost 450 goals later, Dzeko is still going. Not only is he Bosnia’s top scorer with 73 goals for his country – the next man on the list has 28 – but he is a two-time Premier League winner for Manchester City, top scorer in the Bundesliga and Serie A.
Dzeko celebrates during a derby goal during his days at Manchester City
Even so, 11 league appearances without a goal for Fiorentina earlier this season seemed like evidence of a player whose long career was winding down. At the foot of the Serie A table, a Fiorentina team found themselves on the edge. “I wasn’t happy,” she admits.
By his own admission, he wasn’t playing like he used to. “Obviously, there was a lot going on in the head, but one thing I can say about myself is that I’ve always been strong in the head. I know that part of being a football player is ups and downs.
Dzeko’s January move to Schalke changed course. “It was about playing more, which is what I needed.” With one look at the World Cup, he found more than that under compatriot Miron Muslik, helping a fellow old giant to the title and making a long-awaited return to the Bundesliga.
“I couldn’t have made a better choice, I have to be honest,” he says. “Everything that happened was better than expected.” Playing in front of huge crowds was buzzing and six goals in 11 games showed that the old skills had not yet left him.
Dzeko celebrates with his brother-in-law after winning the title
“Experience is a very important thing,” he said. Schalke know this and have offered Dzeko a new contract, one last crack at the Bundesliga he won 17 years ago with Wolfsburg. But his focus is now on his country and playing in the finals at the World Cup.
Dzeko has played and scored in a World Cup before but that was 12 years ago in Brazil. “The experience was amazing,” he said of a tournament in which Bosnia faced Argentina at the Maracana. But they could not reach the knockout stage. “The only thing missing.”
A dozen years later and he is back again with a new team, a new generation, aiming to go further. Making it to the World Cup was a feat against the odds. Bosnia were cruising towards qualification before Dzeko’s late equalizer against Wales in Cardiff.
Dzeko celebrates his late equalizer for Bosnia against Wales
They won that play-off semi-final on penalties, sparking infamous scenes of celebration among their eventual opponents Italy squad. “Italy put more pressure on themselves.” Dzeko and co duly qualified by beating them on penalties.
Although he will not make the mistakes the Italians have made and underestimate anyone, the draw looks better. “Switzerland Favorite.” But finishing Group B with Canada and Qatar and the prospect of going three-a-side, it’s an opportunity.
Dzeko’s job is to help navigate a talented team. “Obviously I’m the oldest player. You always have a big responsibility,” he says. “I am happy to be the captain of this great generation. It will definitely change their lives. Maybe they don’t know it yet but it will.”
Sassuolo has 23-year-old defender Tarik Muharemovic. “He has a lot of qualities but also the right mentality.” He spoke of a bright future for 18-year-old Kerim Alajbegovic, one of three teenagers in the squad. “He needs to keep his feet on the ground.”
Dzeko has done this throughout an incredible career that began long before these new teammates were born. How long can he continue? “Sometimes it ends for all of us,” he admits. “Maybe mine is coming soon.” But not quite yet.
