The captain of the Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team, Edin Džeko, said that the team is fully aware of the difficulty of the upcoming knockout stage match of the World Cup against the United States, but he stressed that the “Dragons” did not arrive at this stage of the competition by chance, and that they have the quality to advance.
The day before the historic match in San Francisco, the Bosnian national team members held an official training session at the San Jose Park stadium, and before the training session, journalists had the opportunity to talk to the players.
Responding to the question of whether this is the most important match, Džeko emphasized the uniqueness of this moment for the entire team.
- Honestly, I don’t know if this is the biggest match so far, but as far as the World Cup is concerned, it certainly is, considering that this is the first time we have reached the knockout stage. I repeat, this is our first time here, so this is a completely new experience for the entire team, especially for the younger players, and ultimately for me – said Džeko.
Commenting on the strength of the opponent, the captain highlighted the speed and organization of the American team, but reminded of the quality and character of the “Dragons”, reports Fena’s correspondent from the World Cup.
- The whole world is currently talking about Bosnia and Herzegovina and I think that this is the best possible promotion of our country. We have a great opportunity on the field to show what we know best. It is certain that we will not have an easy game, the Americans are a fast and very well-organized team, but we are not here by chance either, we have our own strengths and qualities. We are aware of our capabilities and believe in ourselves, just as we believed before the matches with Wales and Italy. A team that does not believe cannot even reach this stage – added Džeko.
Referring to media articles and comments by certain analysts who underestimated the strength of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Džeko drew a parallel with previous surprises at this tournament.
- I followed the statements of their players and it is clear that they do not underestimate us. I believe that they will not do that regardless of what various experts say, because someone who truly understands football would certainly not make such statements. Let’s just remember how the Germans spoke about Paraguay, and in the end they were eliminated. That is precisely why football is the most beautiful sport in the world. I repeat, they are the favorites because they play on home soil and they did well in the group stage, but on the field they are also asked something of us – Džeko emphasized.
Although the primary goal has been met, Džeko believes that the team still has room to make a breakthrough, and he sent a clear message ahead of tomorrow’s match.
– We achieved our first goal by simply qualifying for the knockout stage. The whole of Bosnia and Herzegovina is proud, and we are also proud of everything we have done so far. However, I think that this team has not yet shown its true maximum at this World Cup. We are all ready and very aware of what this match means. We will leave our hearts on the field, we will give our best, and whatever happens – concluded the captain of the Bosnian national team.
The World Cup round of 32 match between the USA and Bosnia and Herzegovina will be played on Wednesday, starting at 5 p.m. local time, or on Thursday at 2 a.m. Central European time, and you can watch the match broadcast on Federal Television.
