The Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team played its first official match exactly 30 years ago. It was on November 30, 1995, at the Qemal Stafa Stadium in Tirana, where we were hosted by the Albanian national team, and it was the first official match for BiH. The national team coach was Fuad Muzurović, who in the latest issue of our sports magazine talked about that unforgettable period.
“How those memories come flooding back. Objectively, it was extremely difficult, considering that neither I nor my associates had the opportunity to make a phone call, let alone see anyone. But somehow we managed and we got to Zagreb, tomorrow we set off for Tirana and sent invitations to the five players who were supposed to come from Ljubljana to Tirana, and when the van with the five players arrived, we were all relieved. That match enabled us to be in the hat for the 1998 World Cup,” said Muzurović.
Full member of FIFA and UEFA
The jersey of the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team in the historic match against Albania was worn by: Ismir Pintol, Vedin Music, Muhamed Konjic, Senad Begic, Ibrahim Duro, Esmir Dzafic, Said Fazlagic, Amir Osmanovic, Nedzad Fazlagic, Enes Demirovic, Almir Turkovic, Husref Musemic and Asim Hrnjic, while the coaching staff, in addition to Muzurovic, included director Mirsad Fazlagic and coach Mustafa Hukic.
BiH was defeated 2:0 in that match, with goals for Albania scored by Quendro (30′) and Dobi (50′). A year later, the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina became a member of FIFA, which enabled the national team to participate in the qualifiers for the 1998 World Cup, which was played in France. In 1998, the BiH association also became a full member of UEFA.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Ismir Pintol, Vedin Music, Ibrahim Duro, Muhamed Konjic, Senad Begic, Nedzad Fazlagic (80′ Said Fazlagic), Esmir Dzafic, Enes Demirovic, Husref Musemic (Amir Osmanovic), Asim Hrnjic, Almir Turkovic.
Albania: Blendi Nallbani, Atrim Tole, Saimir Malko, Anesti Qendro, Ilir Shulku, Jlir Alliu, Altin Haxhi, Redi Bashki Hupi, Elton Koca, Sokol Prenga, Roland Zajmi.
