Džeko: I'm Not the Youngest, But I Can Still Contribute

Edin Džeko is set to return to the World Cup stage after a 12-year hiatus, and at 40 years old, the captain of the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team remains as hungry for success as ever.

“I wouldn’t have thought I’d still be playing at 40. I listen to my body and work intensely before and after training. I’m not the youngest, and I need to take care of my legs and body. That’s exactly what I’m doing,” the striker told Sky TV ahead of his team’s opening match of the 2026 World Cup on Friday against co-hosts Canada. He is one of only three outfield players in the tournament aged 40 or over, alongside Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Croatia’s Luka Modrić.

Džeko holds the record for most appearances for Bosnia and Herzegovina with 148 caps and 73 goals, heading into his second World Cup. His debut in 2014 saw Bosnia eliminated in the group stage after losses to Argentina and Nigeria, with a single victory against Iran. However, the veteran now believes that “advancing is possible. But to achieve that, we have to give our all. And we need to stay grounded.” He added, “I’m not the youngest, but I can still contribute. We are here to achieve good results, not to party or be on vacation.”

Whether Džeko will be in the starting lineup on Friday will be decided shortly, as he has been recovering from a shoulder injury sustained in March when Bosnia qualified for the World Cup with a victory over Italy. The forward missed the team’s recent preparatory matches against North Macedonia and Panama, but head coach Sergej Barbarez is simply delighted to have Džeko available at all. “When he’s here, regardless of his condition, he’s invaluable. Sometimes he can make a huge difference with just a few words. The lads listen to him. That’s important,” Barbarez recently explained.