UEFA on the Dragons: A Story of Talent, Fan Love and Success

As the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team prepares for its second World Cup appearance in history, UEFA has published a comprehensive analysis highlighting that the Dragons' qualification among the 48 best national teams in the world is not a coincidence, but the result of years of work, investment and a clear football development strategy.

Bosnia and Herzegovina has been a source of football talent for decades. From the time of the former Yugoslavia to the present day, players and coaches originating from Bosnia and Herzegovina or with strong family ties to our country have left a deep mark on European football.

At the 2026 FIFA World Cup, two of the 48 head coaches are Bosnians – Vladimir Petković, coach of Algeria, and Sergej Barbarez, who led Bosnia and Herzegovina to successful qualifiers, crowned with dramatic penalty shootout victories against Wales and four-time world champions Italy in the European play-off final.

Strong leadership and quality management

Barbarez represents a new approach in the men's national team, and together with his coaching staff has shown that clear goals, good organisation and stability bring results and restore faith in success. Today's Bosnia and Herzegovina national team operates unitedly and organisedly, with the strength of the collective placed ahead of the individual – although players like Esmir Bajraktarević, Amar Dedić, Kerim Alajbegović and the eternal Edin Džeko give the team additional quality and special value.

Such team spirit is visible off the pitch as well, where a new generation of football administrators has helped build a clearer system within the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina (NSBiH), bringing new energy around the national team and football across the country. This process was further accelerated during the mandate of NSBiH President Vico Zeljković, with a focus on infrastructure, development projects and support for all national team selections and clubs.

Infrastructure improvement

One of the main reasons for the progress of Bosnian-Herzegovinian football is investment in infrastructure. Better pitches and improved conditions, enabled through UEFA's HatTrick programme, have contributed to the development of the national team, clubs and young players across the country.

Perhaps the most important infrastructure project is the National Team Training Centre in Zenica, which has recently been renovated and modernised. This modern complex is used throughout the year, not only for the preparations of the men's national team, but also for a large number of matches, especially women's and youth selections. This summer it will also be one of four hosts of the UEFA Women's Under-19 European Championship.

Another significant project was the purchase and reconstruction of the House of Football in Sarajevo, which strengthened the institutional capacities of NSBiH and created better conditions for the daily work of the Association.

A major step forward was also made by installing hybrid pitches at the stadiums of all clubs in the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which improved match conditions and raised the overall quality of the domestic championship.

The next goal is the construction of new training pitches, both in local communities and for lower-tier clubs, in order to extend the positive impact beyond the highest level of football.

Bright future of Bosnian-Herzegovinian football

One of the key tasks of NSBiH now is to ensure that the World Cup qualification does not remain a success tied only to one generation, but serves as a foundation for creating a clear development path for new players.

The men's national team will continue to have a strong connection with players from the diaspora, but it is equally important that the domestic system continues to produce enough talent for future generations of national team players. This is not possible without stronger clubs, better working conditions and greater investment in the education and development of coaches and professional staff. People, together with infrastructure, are the key to long-term success.

The story of Bosnia and Herzegovina's qualification for the World Cup is not just a story of one successful generation and one great result. It is also a story of a country with a rich football tradition, great natural talent and a strong bond between fans and the national team, which simultaneously, through administrative and infrastructure projects, builds solid foundations for future qualifications for major competitions.

As fans across the country look forward to group matches against Switzerland and Qatar, following the tournament opener against Canada, both the immediate and long-term future of Bosnian-Herzegovinian football looks exceptionally bright.