Statehood Day of BiH: Exhibition match between veteran selections of Turkey and BiH at Bilino polje

(Patria) - On Saturday, November 25, on the occasion of Bosnia and Herzegovina's Statehood Day, an exhibition football match between amateur veteran national teams from Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina will be held at the Bilino polje stadium, specifically expanded teams of the Master Bosna club and the Turkish association TMVFL.

The initiator and organizer of the match is the Master Bosna Club for Sport and Recreation, which brings together former athletes, as well as football enthusiasts aged 40 and over, from all over BiH, and which has played over 200 international and exhibition matches so far.

- We are the first and only club formed on these grounds. First, because we have been operating for a decade, and unique because, unlike later formed veteran teams of BiH football clubs, we are the only club that does not have a parent "living" football club behind it, but we gather players from all over the country, whether they were former footballers or recreational players, states the Club President Samir Šibonjić.

The idea for the exhibition match against the Turks "was born" during the recent participation of "Master Bosna" in the World Peace Cup, held in Turkey.

- The Turks have an association, Turkiye Milli Karma (TMVFL), which is a national association, they have clubs, but as a national selection, they played matches at home and were planning their first international visit, and they wanted it to be in a friendly, brotherly country. We agreed quickly and easily, because we wanted to mark one of the most important BiH national holidays in a different way than traditional, Šibonjić points out.

Teams from BiH and Turkey will gather for the match in Zenica, but instead of the usual two halves of 25 minutes, the match will be played in a "full" schedule, two halves of 45 minutes.

- For this occasion, we decided to "strengthen" the team with stars of BiH sports for the holiday, so we sent invitations to renowned names of BiH football, and one of the legends of BiH football will also be on our bench, states Šibonjić, adding that next week, when the first press conference is scheduled, the names of BiH athletes and public figures who confirm their arrival by then will be announced.

As confirmed, at least 35 guests from Turkey will come to BiH, who will visit Mostar, Stolac, Počitelj, and Sarajevo the day before the match at Bilino polje, and the guests expressed a special wish to visit the grave of the first president of RBiH, Alija Izetbegović, on the day of the match, i.e., on BiH Statehood Day, before heading to Zenica.

- Master Bosna has played over 200 matches in BiH and around the world so far, with selections from Africa, Australia, Europe, and America, and everywhere we have been true ambassadors of our Homeland, which is the main goal of every departure, visit, or reception of foreigners. We believe that this move will further encourage us to promote our Homeland and its beauties, Šibonjić emphasized.

A press conference will be held on Monday, which will be addressed by: Samir Šibonjić, President of Master Bosna, Vlatko Glavaš, captain of the BiH national team, and
Amel Tuka, BiH athletics champion and one of the participants in the exhibition match.