Euro 2012 play-off: Bosnia on the verge of rewriting history

With most of the qualifying berths for next year’s European Championships being filled up, the next seven days will decide which of the nations in the play-off spots will join their peers in Poland and Ukraine next year. For one team, making it to the showpiece event could mean a place in the annals of football forever. Bosnia and Herzegovina stand on the verge of rewriting history.

Bosnia face Portugal tonight, by no means an easy task, but should they get through to Euro 2012 at the expense of their more illustrious Iberian rivals over the two-legged tie, it will be a huge victory for the nation’s most tangible multi-ethnic organisation.

In a nation that is still recovering from a ghastly war which brings to mind the name Slobodan Milosevic, where Croat was pitted against Serb, Christian against Muslim, but most tellingly, Bosniak against fellow Bosniak, the scars that this tiny Balkan nation has had to bear since gaining independence from what used to be the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, two nights of football could do what more than a decade of politics has failed to: unite a multicultural nation.

Until recently, ethnic Croats were more interested in Luka Modric and Ivica Olic, while ethnic Serbs followed the exploits of Nicola Zigic and Nemanja Vidic. And who could blame them? Not so long ago the Bosnian FA was run as an extension of the ruling party’s cabinet, with people who had no inkling of football whatsoever kept in office only to curry favour with whichever ethnic group was most important to the government at that time. The only way a Bosnian could receive a pass from another was if they were of the same ethnicity. In retaliation, FIFA banned Bosnia from taking part in international competitions unless and until their FA was free of all political influences.

That time is now. Bosnia’s national team is one that is ardently followed by the whole nation, irrespective of ethnic background. Their talisman Edin Dzeko is Bosniak Muslim, while co-captain Zvezdan Misimovic, one of the side’s most experienced players, is Serb. Defensive stalwart Boris Pandza is Croat. In keeping with this ethnic bonhomie, their coach Safet Susic is a a former Yugoslavia international.

Bosnia as a team have done excellently to go this far, and were denied automatic qualification only by a very controversial penalty against France at the Stade de France around a month ago. Samir Nasri’s goal from the spot means Les Bleus would go through instead. Be that as it may, this Bosnian team has plenty of quality and experience to see it through against Portugal, coupled of course with that most quintessential football element: luck.

In Stoke City’s Asmir Begovic, the Bosnian’s have a more than reliable shot-stopper. The 24-year-old’s reflexes would put even a rubber-band to shame. At the back are captain Emir Spahic — who was allegedly linked with Arsenal a season ago — of Sevilla and Sasa Papac of Rangers, both with years of experience under their belts. Completing the back line are Pandza and Adnan Mravac who plays for SV Mattersberg in Austria.

It is in midfield that Bosnia boast a wealth of quality and experience. Zvezdan Misimovic pulls   the strings in midfield and he is assisted more than capably by TSG Hoffenheim’s Sehad Salihovic.

Semir Stilic and veteran Elvir Rahimic make up more than just the numbers in midfield, but arguably the standout name in the middle of the park is Miralem Pjanic. The fleet-footed winger made his name while at French side Olympique Lyonnais and a summer switch to AS Roma has only seen him blossom in his role as a winger.

Up front, the star man for the Golden Lilies is undoubtedly Edin Dzeko, but he is more than ably aided by Zlatan Muslimovic, and Vedad Ibisevic. Some of these names definitely will sound alien to readers of this article, but this is a team that no one will be regarding as pushovers.

The Bosnian fan supporters Club called the BH Fanaticos, are led from Bosnia and include several thousands of those scattered abroad by the ethnic cleansing that shook the nation in the early nineties. Their spokesman in the capital Sarajevo says, “The politicians wanted to impose their interests on our game. We didn’t set out to challenge anything political — we just wanted our game back. But politics found us, because politics is everywhere. Now we need to qualify, and the situation will really start to change — we can be rid of all this ethnic shit. If we go to Poland, we’ll take tens of thousands of fans. We took 15,000 to Paris, and most of us missed out on our holidays this year, saving up to go to Poland and Ukraine instead.”

What he says may be greeted with raised eyebrows by some and dubious looks amongst others, but one thing is certain: Bosnia stand on the verge of history, and they’re prepared to go all the way.