Appleton's Esmir Bajraktarevic sends Bosnia and Herzegovina to World Cup

21-year-old Appleton native's penalty kick winner against Italy earns Bosnia's first World Cup berth since 2014.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 12:49am

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Esmir Bajraktarevic, a 21-year-old soccer player from Appleton, Wisconsin, scored the decisive penalty kick to propel Bosnia and Herzegovina to the 2026 World Cup, defeating Italy in a dramatic shootout. Bajraktarevic, who has dual U.S. and Bosnian citizenship, chose to represent his family's homeland on the international stage, fulfilling a lifelong dream.

Why it matters

Bajraktarevic's achievement is a heartwarming story of a young athlete representing his cultural heritage on the global stage. His decision to play for Bosnia and Herzegovina over the U.S. national team highlights the complex identity issues faced by many first-generation Americans. Bosnia's return to the World Cup also marks an important milestone for the country, which last qualified in 2014.

The details

In the decisive World Cup qualifying match, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy were tied 1-1 after extra time, leading to a penalty kick shootout. After Italy missed their third attempt, Bajraktarevic stepped up and scored the winning penalty with a no-look shot past Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. Bajraktarevic, who was born and raised in Appleton, Wisconsin, had previously played for the U.S. youth national teams before deciding to represent Bosnia and Herzegovina at the senior level due to his family's heritage.

  • On March 31, 2026, Bosnia and Herzegovina defeated Italy in a penalty shootout to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
  • Bajraktarevic made his debut with the U.S. National Team in 2024.
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina last qualified for the World Cup in 2014.

The players

Esmir Bajraktarevic

A 21-year-old soccer player from Appleton, Wisconsin who scored the decisive penalty kick to send Bosnia and Herzegovina to the 2026 World Cup. Bajraktarevic has dual U.S. and Bosnian citizenship and chose to represent his family's homeland on the international stage.

Gianluigi Donnarumma

The Italian national team goalkeeper who was unable to stop Bajraktarevic's winning penalty kick, resulting in Italy's failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

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What they’re saying

“The decision (to play for Bosnia) for me was very easy. It was something I knew I wanted to do since I was little. It was just a process that took a while. I'm very happy I made it. There's no feeling like representing your country.”

— Esmir Bajraktarevic, Bosnian National Team Player

“I'm very proud of where I'm from. It means a lot to me. It's how I was raised. I was raised in a Bosnian culture, so it's everything.”

— Esmir Bajraktarevic, Bosnian National Team Player

What’s next

Bosnia and Herzegovina will join World Cup Group B with Canada, Qatar and Switzerland, and will face co-host Canada in the opener on June 12 in Toronto.

The takeaway

Esmir Bajraktarevic's dramatic penalty kick winner to send Bosnia and Herzegovina to the World Cup is a feel-good story of a young athlete proudly representing his cultural heritage on the global stage. His decision to play for his family's homeland over the U.S. national team highlights the complex identity issues faced by many first-generation Americans, while also marking an important milestone for Bosnia's return to the World Cup after an 8-year absence.