Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina – The Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica has witnessed the Bosnian national football team’s giant-killing ways for decades.
Branded a “cursed” venue for visiting sides, it has hosted the Dragons’ triumphs over formidable European opponents – Norway, Greece, Romania, Finland, Wales and Austria – in recent years, while football powerhouses Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands and Turkiye have all been held to draws here.
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Bosnia enjoyed an unbeaten streak at Dragons’ Nest between 1995 and 2006. Add to that the stadium’s compact nature, the close proximity of fans, and it’s no wonder the players often say they feel at home here.
Hence, when thousands of Bosnian supporters descended upon the storied arena for the home side’s World Cup playoff final against Italy on Tuesday, it was with an unwavering belief in their team as well as the magic of the venue.
Italy’s storied football history, their four World Cup trophies, and a tag of pre-match favourites did little to dampen the local fans’ hopes. And when Esmir Bajraktarevic drilled the ball past Gianluigi Donnarumma to convert Bosnia’s fourth penalty and inflict a defeat on Italy in a dramatic shootout, pandemonium erupted in the Dragons’ Nest.
‘I’m from Bosnia, take me to America’
Fans began arriving in Zenica – a city 70 kilometres (43 miles) north of the capital, Sarajevo – in the early hours of the morning, well before the 8:45pm (18:45 GMT) kickoff.
Wave after wave of supporters, dressed in the team’s colours and waving the national flag, approached the venue from all parts of the country. Some even flew in from abroad to soak in what promised to be a historic night.
Thousands of them could not even get close to the turnstiles of the 10,000-capacity stadium and instead gathered at a nearby fan zone. Others filled up cafes and restaurants across the city to watch the match on large screens.
There was a strong conviction among the fans that even if the stadium had been 10 times larger, it would have still filled up to capacity on a night of this magnitude.
Members of the popular Bosnian band Dubioza Kolektiv led fans in the streets of Zenica, singing the chorus of their hit song “USA”.
“I am from Bosnia, take me to America” fit the bill perfectly in advance of the deciding match for a place in the World Cup cohosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.
As kickoff approached, the spectators slowly settled into a familiar rhythm: Getting up on their feet during the players’ warm-up routines, singing songs and bellowing chants that have carried the national team in their most important fixtures, and making enough noise to count as the 12th member of the team.
Bosnom Behar Probeharao (Blossoms Have Bloomed in Bosnia) – a nostalgic refrain that many Bosnians consider a symbol of love for their homeland – rang throughout the cauldron and beyond.
A historic bond, a special night
While the world weighed in on the Italian team’s chances of qualifying for the World Cup after missing out on the last two editions, Bosnia’s legendary captain, Edin Dzeko, reminded fans that their ties with the Azzurri run deeper than an on-field battle.
The 40-year-old striker, with a last shot at playing in the World Cup, asked Bosnian fans to applaud the Italian national anthem before kickoff.
It was a reference to the Italian football team’s visit to Sarajevo in 1996, following the Bosnian war, when they played a friendly match that helped revive international football in the country.
Fans obliged, as they did 30 years ago, and the entire stadium stood up and applauded the Italian anthem. But that’s where the pleasantries ended, and the mission to qualify for the North American World Cup began.
The heated and tense encounter ended 1-1 after extra time, forcing the game into a penalty shootout, where Bosnia emerged as the winners.
The crowd screamed, waved their flags, lit flares on the terraces, and set off fireworks from nearby buildings – illuminating the sky above Zenica and indicating that the party would carry on into the early morning. The players remained on the pitch to share in the joy of the celebrating fans.
Once the stadium emptied out, the party soon spilled onto the streets.
Convoys of cars laden with fans, draped with the flag and blaring horns, turned Zenica into a giant stage, which became the centre of Bosnian celebrations.
‘I believed in the Dragons’
In Sarajevo, a few hours later, a reception was organised for the players and coaching staff, who were greeted by nearly 100,000 supporters, celebrating what many termed one of the greatest wins in the nation’s history.
One frequently shared comment read, “This is not just a victory, it’s a reminder of who we are.”
Twelve years since their painful first-round exit at their World Cup debut, Bosnia had returned to the big time.
One of the most famous nights at the stadium came on March 21, 2013, when Bosnia and Herzegovina defeated Greece in a qualifier, opening the path to the country’s historic first appearance at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
For many fans, the playoff final against Italy carried similar emotions.
Dzevahid Mehicic, an elderly man from Zenica, said many people from his generation doubted they would live to see Bosnia and Herzegovina qualify for the World Cup again.
“They thought that moment might never come again, but I believed the Dragons had the strength to defeat even a powerful Italy,” he told Al Jazeera after Bosnia’s win.
For the younger fans, it was a unique experience of their own.
Wrapped in the national flag, 11-year-old fan Nihad Babovic said teen forward Kerim Alajbegovic was his favourite player besides Dzeko.
“I can’t wait for the World Cup to start so I can watch the matches with my dad.”
For one night, yet again, Zenica became the beating heart of Bosnia as the city’s famous football stadium saw the past and present come together in a moment of collective euphoria.
