Edin Dzeko to Play Final Bosnia Match Against Sweden in Nations League
Edin Dzeko will bring his Bosnia and Herzegovina career to an end against Sweden in the Nations League on October 2, with the 40-year-old set to leave as both the country’s appearance-record holder and leading scorer.
A defining international career reaches its final match
The Schalke striker has confirmed that the Sweden fixture will be his 152nd and final senior international. His 151 appearances to date have produced 73 goals, figures that place him clear at the summit of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s modern international record books.
Dzeko made his senior debut against Turkey in 2007 and has remained central to the national side through nearly two decades of change. The former Wolfsburg, Manchester City and Inter forward said the chance to play for his country had remained the greatest source of pride in his career.
“No achievement in my career has matched the feeling of putting on that shirt,” Dzeko said. “It was the dream I had as a child, and I carried it with me through all 151 matches for my country. Much has changed over the years, including me, but my feeling for this shirt has not changed.”
He said he had reached the point to make way after giving everything possible to the national team. Dzeko also urged supporters to attend the Sweden match so that his farewell can be shared with the fans who have followed his international career.
World Cup qualification remains the landmark achievement
Dzeko’s goals were fundamental to Bosnia and Herzegovina reaching the 2014 World Cup, the first major tournament appearance for the country as an independent nation. That qualification remains the high point of his time with the team.
He described the route to Brazil as one of the happiest experiences of his playing life, recalling the emotion around the goal against Wales and the later occasion in Zenica against Italy in March. The sight of supporters celebrating across Bosnian cities, he said, remains one of football’s greatest gifts to him.
His contribution did not end with that first World Cup campaign. Even late in his career, Dzeko played an important role in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s run to the last 32 of the 2026 tournament, extending his influence into his forties.
Key moments in Dzeko’s Bosnia and Herzegovina story
- Made his senior debut against Turkey in 2007.
- Established himself as Bosnia and Herzegovina’s record scorer and most-capped player.
- Helped deliver qualification for the 2014 World Cup, the nation’s first major tournament as an independent country.
- Continued to contribute during the run to the last 32 of the 2026 tournament.
- Will make his final international appearance against Sweden on October 2.
The numbers behind the farewell
| Category | Figure |
|---|---|
| Current age | 40 |
| Senior Bosnia and Herzegovina caps | 151 |
| International goals | 73 |
| Senior debut | 2007, against Turkey |
| Final international fixture | Sweden, October 2 |
What the Sweden match means
The Nations League meeting carries competitive significance, but its principal focus will be Dzeko’s final night in national colours. Bosnia and Herzegovina’s captain is expected to receive a major send-off as supporters mark the departure of the player most closely associated with the country’s rise on the international stage.
- Dzeko will retire as Bosnia and Herzegovina’s leading scorer with 73 goals.
- He is also the nation’s most-capped player, having reached 151 appearances before the Sweden match.
- The 2014 World Cup qualification campaign remains the defining team achievement of his international career.
- After the October international break, he will return to Schalke for club commitments.
