Bosnia and Herzegovina enter their World Cup Group B opener against co-hosts Canada as clear underdogs, coach Sergej Barbarez said Thursday, but the Balkan side intends to compete with pride as it returns to the tournament for the first time in 12 years.
Bosnia will be making only its second World Cup appearance after debuting in 2014, where it recorded one win but failed to progress beyond the group stage. Barbarez acknowledged the challenge ahead but insisted his team will embrace its outsider status.
“We are a small country,” Barbarez said. “This is our second ever World Cup and for sure we are sort of an underdog in many of the matches ahead.”
Despite being ranked 64th in the world, Barbarez expressed confidence in his squad’s ability to rise to the occasion on football’s biggest stage, pointing to their qualification run, which included a penalty shootout victory over three-time champions Italy.
“If you know our results, I think you have to just admire what we’ve managed to achieve,” he said.
Barbarez described his team’s identity as one built on resilience and emotion, referencing Bosnia’s reputation for producing hard-fought performances.
“I love this game between David and Goliath,” he said. “We play with our hearts and that has been our advantage.”
The team is led by 40-year-old striker Edin Džeko, Bosnia’s all-time top scorer with 73 goals, who has recovered from a shoulder injury and will be available for Friday’s match. Barbarez confirmed the veteran forward remains central to the squad’s plans.
“Edin will be with us tomorrow,” he said. “Edin will be playing just as usual.”
Canada, meanwhile, will present a significant challenge as co-hosts seeking their first World Cup win and aiming to reach the knockout stage for the first time. Barbarez expects a high-intensity match fueled by the home crowd but said his team is prepared for the atmosphere.
“I am maybe exaggerating a bit, but I’m sure the game is going to be quite intense, which is characteristic of both teams,” he said.
While Canada will enjoy strong home support, Bosnia has also received encouragement in North America, with fans attending training sessions in Toronto ahead of the match. Barbarez said his side is eager to earn respect through performance.
“We really want to show our best to the whole world,” he said. “We really want to be the team that earns respect, and we can only do that by showing what we know on the pitch.”
