Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina – Zenica’s Vilino Polje Stadium has witnessed giant killings of the Bosnian national football team for decades.
Branded as a “cursed” venue for visiting teams, recent years have seen the Dragons win against heavyweight European opponents such as Norway, Greece, Romania, Finland, Wales and Austria, while soccer powerhouses Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands and Turkiye have been drawn here.
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Bosnia had an unbeaten record in the Dragon’s Nest from 1995 to 2006. Add to that the compact nature of the stadium, its closeness to the fans, and it’s no wonder players often say they feel at home here.
So when thousands of Bosnian supporters gathered at the famous arena on Tuesday for their home team’s World Cup play-off final against Italy, it was not just the magic of the venue, but their unwavering belief in their team.
Italy’s storied soccer history, four World Cup trophies and pre-match title tag didn’t dampen the expectations of local fans in the slightest. Then chaos erupted at the Dragon’s Nest when Esmil Bajraktarevic drilled the ball past Gianluigi Donnarumma to score Bosnia’s fourth penalty, giving Italy victory in a dramatic penalty shoot-out.
“I’m from Bosnia, please take me to America.”
Fans began arriving in Zenica, a city 70 kilometers (43 miles) north of the capital Sarajevo, early in the morning, well before the 8:45pm (18:45 GMT) kick-off.
Supporters from all over the country filled the venue one after another, wearing team colors and waving national flags. Some had flown in from overseas to enjoy what promised to be a historic night.
Thousands were unable to even approach the turnstiles at the 10,000-capacity stadium, instead gathering in a nearby fan zone. Some people packed cafes and restaurants across the city to watch the match on large screens.
There was a strong belief among the fans that even if the stadium were ten times bigger, it would still be full on a night of this magnitude.
Members of the popular Bosnian band Dubiosa Korektiv led their fans through the streets of Zenica as they sang the chorus of their hit song “USA”.
“I’m from Bosnia, please take me to America,” was a fitting quote before the World Cup qualifying match co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.
As kickoff approached, the crowd gradually settled into a familiar rhythm. He stood up during the players’ warm-up routine, sang the songs that have sustained the national team in its most important games, shouted chants and caused enough commotion that he was counted as the 12th member of the team.
The nostalgic refrain “Bosnom behar probeharao” (Flowers have bloomed in Bosnia), which many Bosnians consider a symbol of love for their country, echoed both inside the cauldron and beyond.
A historic bond, a special night
As the world focuses on Italy’s chances of making it to the World Cup after missing out on the last two editions, Bosnia’s legendary captain Edin Dzeko has reminded fans that his bond with the Azzurri runs deeper than the battles on the field.
The 40-year-old striker asked Bosnian fans to clap for the Italian national anthem before kick-off as he staked his last chance to qualify for the World Cup.
This was in reference to the visit of the Italian soccer team to Sarajevo in 1996 after the Bosnian War, where they played a friendly match that helped revive international soccer in the country.
The fans responded just as they had 30 years ago, with the entire stadium standing up and applauding for the Italian national anthem. But the fun ended there and the mission to qualify for the North American World Cup began.
The heated and tense match ended 1-1 after extra time, and the match went to penalties, with Bosnia emerging as the winner.
Crowds shouted, waved flags, lit smoke bombs on terraces and set off fireworks from nearby buildings, lighting up the sky over Zenica and indicating that the party would continue into the early morning hours. The players remained on the pitch and shared in the joy of the celebrating fans.
Once the stadium was empty, the party quickly spilled out into the streets.
Lines of cars carrying fans, flags flying and horns blaring, turned Zenica into a huge stage and the center of Bosnia’s celebrations.
“I believed in the Dragons.”
Hours later, a reception was held for the players and coaching staff in Sarajevo, where nearly 100,000 supporters welcomed and celebrated what many called one of the greatest victories in the country’s history.
One frequently shared comment was, “This is more than just a victory; it’s a reminder of who we are.”
Twelve years after their heartbreaking first-round exit at the World Cup, Bosnia have once again entered an era of greatness.
One of the most famous nights at the stadium was March 21, 2013, when Bosnia and Herzegovina defeated Greece in the qualification round, paving the way for their historic first appearance at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
For many fans, the play-off final against Italy had similar feelings.
Dzevahid Mehičić, an elderly man from Zenica, said he doubted many people of his generation would live to see Bosnia and Herzegovina compete in the World Cup again.
“They thought that moment might never come again, but I believed that the Dragons had the ability to defeat even the mighty Italy,” he told Al Jazeera after Bosnia’s victory.
For young fans, it was their own unique experience.
Nihad Babovic, an 11-year-old fan wrapped in the national flag, said teenage forward Kerim Alaibegovic was his favorite player other than Dzeko.
“I can’t wait for the World Cup to start so I can watch the games with my dad.”
Overnight, Zenica once again became the beating heart of Bosnia, with past and present seen merging in a moment of collective elation at the city’s famous soccer stadium.
