Edin Dzeko Siap Bela Bosnia di Piala Dunia 2026

Penyerang veteran sekaligus kapten tim nasional Bosnia dan Herzegovina, Edin Dzeko, dinyatakan berada dalam kondisi cukup siap untuk turun bertanding melawan Swiss pada laga lanjutan Grup B Piala Dunia 2026 yang berlangsung hari Kamis, 18 Juni 2026.

Kabar kesiapan sang striker berusia 40 tahun tersebut dikonfirmasi langsung oleh pelatih kepala Bosnia, Sergej Barbarez, di tengah kekhawatiran publik mengenai cedera bahu yang sempat membuat Dzeko absen pada laga pembuka melawan Kanada.

“Reasonably Ready” kata Sergej Barbarez, Pelatih Kepala Bosnia dan Herzegovina.

Barbarez menegaskan betapa krusialnya kehadiran penyerang Schalke 04 itu bagi skuadnya saat ini.

“When he’s there, no matter what shape he’s in, he’s worth his weight in gold. Sometimes he can make a huge difference with just a few words. The guys listen to him. That’s important.” ujar Sergej Barbarez, Pelatih Kepala Bosnia dan Herzegovina.

Dzeko, yang sukses membawa Schalke promosi ke Bundesliga musim ini, merefleksikan perjalanannya yang masih mampu bersaing di level tertinggi meski telah menginjak usia kepala empat.

“I did not think I would be playing at 40,” kata Edin Dzeko, Kapten Bosnia dan Herzegovina.

Ia membagikan rahasia umur panjang kariernya yang menuntut kedisiplinan tinggi dalam menjaga kondisi fisik sehari-hari.

“But I am listening to my body and doing a lot of work before and after training because I am obviously not the youngest anymore and I need to care about my legs, my body and that's what I'm doing,” tutur Edin Dzeko, Kapten Bosnia dan Herzegovina.

Perubahan kebiasaan dari masa muda menjadi kunci utama adaptasi fisiknya.

“Maybe when you are young, you don't think a lot about coming earlier to training and staying 30 to 45 minutes before training in the gym doing the prevention work and then also staying after training, like 30 to 45, one hour, doing some other prevention work.” ucap Edin Dzeko, Kapten Bosnia dan Herzegovina.

Ia membandingkan pola pikir pemain muda dengan kebutuhannya saat ini.

“Maybe as a young player, when you're 20, you say I don't have time for this, I want to go out for coffee or something with friends or lunch. When you get older, you realise that your body needs it if you want to compete at the best level and stay so long in football.” jelas Edin Dzeko, Kapten Bosnia dan Herzegovina.

Sebelum bangkit bersama Schalke, Dzeko sempat melewati masa-masa sulit di Fiorentina pada awal musim.

“I was not happy,” aku Edin Dzeko, Kapten Bosnia dan Herzegovina.

Meski sempat mengalami kebuntuan mencetak gol di Italia, ketangguhan mental membuatnya tetap bertahan.

“Obviously, there was a lot going on in the head, but the one thing I can say about myself is that I was always strong in the head. I know that part of being a football player is ups and downs.” ungkap Edin Dzeko, Kapten Bosnia dan Herzegovina.

Kepindahannya pada bursa transfer Januari terbukti menjadi titik balik krusial demi menjaga asa tampil di Piala Dunia.

“It was about playing more, which I needed.” kata Edin Dzeko, Kapten Bosnia dan Herzegovina.

Dzeko merasa keputusan bergabung dengan klub Jerman tersebut adalah langkah terbaik dalam kariernya.

“I could not have made a better choice, I have to tell the truth,” ujar Edin Dzeko, Kapten Bosnia dan Herzegovina.

Performa impresifnya di lini depan langsung kembali setelah resmi berseragam Schalke.

“Everything that happened was even better than expected.” tutur Edin Dzeko, Kapten Bosnia dan Herzegovina.

Pengalaman panjang menjadi modal utama yang ia bawa ke dalam skuad tim nasional saat ini.

“Experience is a very important thing,” ucap Edin Dzeko, Kapten Bosnia dan Herzegovina.

Ia pun mengenang kembali atmosfer luar biasa saat pertama kali tampil di Piala Dunia 12 tahun silam.

“The experience was amazing,” kenang Edin Dzeko, Kapten Bosnia dan Herzegovina.

Namun, kegagalan lolos dari fase grup di Brasil menyisakan ambisi yang belum terselesaikan.

“The only thing missing.” sebut Edin Dzeko, Kapten Bosnia dan Herzegovina.

Mengenai babak kualifikasi dramatis melawan Italia, Dzeko menilai tekanan justru berbalik kepada lawan.

“Italy put even more pressure on themselves.” analisis Edin Dzeko, Kapten Bosnia dan Herzegovina.

Menghadapi persaingan di Grup B yang dihuni Swiss, Kanada, dan Qatar, ia memetakan kekuatan lawan terberatnya.

“Switzerland are the favourites.” nilai Edin Dzeko, Kapten Bosnia dan Herzegovina.

Sebagai sosok paling senior di dalam tim, ia memikul tanggung jawab besar membimbing generasi baru Bosnia.

“I am the oldest player, obviously. You always have a big responsibility,” kata Edin Dzeko, Kapten Bosnia dan Herzegovina.

Ia merasa bangga memimpin rekan-rekan mudanya yang memiliki potensi besar untuk mengubah masa depan mereka.

“I am happy to be captain of this great generation. It will change their lives for sure. Maybe they don't know it yet but it will.” tutur Edin Dzeko, Kapten Bosnia dan Herzegovina.

Secara khusus, ia memuji bek Sassuolo, Tarik Muharemovic.

“He has a lot of quality but also the right mindset.” puji Edin Dzeko, Kapten Bosnia dan Herzegovina.

Dzeko juga mengingatkan pemain muda seperti Kerim Alajbegovic agar tetap membumi.

“He has to keep his feet on the ground.” pesan Edin Dzeko, Kapten Bosnia dan Herzegovina.

Ketika ditanya mengenai kapan dirinya akan gantung sepatu, sang penyerang tidak menampik bahwa momen itu kian dekat.

“Sometimes there is an end for all of us,” aku Edin Dzeko, Kapten Bosnia dan Herzegovina.

Kendati demikian, ia menegaskan bahwa masa pensiunnya belum tiba saat ini.

“Maybe mine is coming soon.” cetus Edin Dzeko, Kapten Bosnia dan Herzegovina.

Melalui tulisan emosional di The Players' Tribute, Dzeko turut mengirimkan pesan mendalam kepada anak-anak di tanah airnya mengenai perjuangan masa kecilnya bertahan hidup di tengah kecamuk perang Sarajevo.

“Dear children of Bosnia and Herzegovina, I have only one message: nothing is impossible. Nothing. We are lucky that we are Bosnians.

I’m not saying that just as a man who lived his dream, but also as a boy who survived the war. I don’t like talking about the siege of Sarajevo, but it is important that you understand what it was like,” tulis Edin Dzeko, Kapten Bosnia dan Herzegovina.

Ia mengisahkan memori masa lalunya saat harus bersembunyi bersama keluarga ketika sirene perang pertama kali berbunyi.

“I was six when it started. I remember the first sirens, that my mother grabbed me, and that we hid behind the shoe cabinet. That was day one.

It went on like that for four years. We didn’t really understand it all, but we were scared every day. When our house became too unsafe, we moved to my grandparents’ apartment.

I think it was forty square meters. We lived there with fifteen people. Everyone slept on the floor.

Every now and then, when it seemed quiet, mama would open the front door and I would play with the other children from the neighborhood. I’ll never forget her look. That faint smile because she loved seeing me play, but in her eyes there was also the worry that I might not come back,” kenang Edin Dzeko, Kapten Bosnia dan Herzegovina.

Pengalaman pahit tersebut membentuk kedewasaan dan impiannya yang berawal dari lapangan darurat.

“We made it through. I’m amazed at how strong we were; we were just little children. But the war was pointless.

All those innocent people dead, and for what? For money, power, and ego. For nothing, so.

I feel sick when I see war on the news these days. I want to never see it, nowhere. But adults never learn.

It seemed so impossible that I didn’t even dream about it. The grassy fields you see now were burned flat. I trained in a sports hall.

After months, the ground was cleaned and they began painting white lines on the fields of scorched earth. I trained, and hoped one day to be first with my local club Zeljeznicar. When I was nineteen, a coach took me to the Czech Republic.

Suddenly I found myself in Teplice,” papar Edin Dzeko, Kapten Bosnia dan Herzegovina.

Dari transfer awal bernilai kecil, kariernya melesat hingga bernilai puluhan juta euro di klub-klub raksasa Eropa.

“They bought me for 25,000 euros. Two years later I went to VfL Wolfsburg. Then for 37 million to Manchester City, and to AS Roma.

I grew up in war; now I live a fairytale existence. Nothing is impossible. Not even with Bosnia to the World Cup.

The first qualification in 2014 was the most beautiful day of our lives. It didn’t go our way at the World Cup, but now we’re back,” tegas Edin Dzeko, Kapten Bosnia dan Herzegovina.

Ia juga menceritakan ketegangannya saat drama adu penalti penentu melawan kiper Italia, Gianluigi Donnarumma, di mana Esmir Bajraktarevic menjadi pahlawan kemenangan.

“I was so afraid of Gianluigi Donnarumma. That guy is so big. I didn't have to take a penalty; I was injured.

Luckily, our youngsters know how to do it. They don't overthink things, unlike us veterans. When Esmir Bajraktarevic took the decisive penalty, I didn't dare to look.

Sergej Barbarez, the head coach, didn't either. Then I heard the explosion of joy. Our little country is going to the World Cup again.

And remember: you are Bosnians. The world lies at your feet. I love you.

Edin,” tutup Edin Dzeko, Kapten Bosnia dan Herzegovina.

Di samping itu, Dzeko turut memberikan pandangan mengenai fokus timnya yang datang ke turnamen akbar ini untuk mengincar kemenangan, bukan sekadar berlibur.

“I listen to my body and train intensively before and after practice.” kata Edin Dzeko, Kapten Bosnia dan Herzegovina.

Ia meminta seluruh tim untuk tetap fokus dan menghadapi kompetisi secara bertahap.

“Advancing is possible. But to do that, we have to give it our all on the field. And we have to keep our feet on the ground and take it one game at a time,” imbau Edin Dzeko, Kapten Bosnia dan Herzegovina.

Ia menyadari keterbatasan fisiknya namun optimis bisa berkontribusi nyata di lapangan.

“I’m not the youngest anymore, but I can still contribute a little,” ujar Edin Dzeko, Kapten Bosnia dan Herzegovina.

Skuad Bosnia menegaskan komitmen penuh mereka untuk meraih hasil maksimal di setiap pertandingan.

“We’re here to get good results, not to party or go on vacation.” tegas Edin Dzeko, Kapten Bosnia dan Herzegovina.