Edin Dzeko, 40, is ready for all the challenges that the World Cup will bring
With the World Cup approaching, the captain of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Edin Dzeko, did not even think that he would play football right now, but after helping coach Schalke to return to the Bundesliga, he will captain his nation again in the first World Cup since 2014. Much has changed for the 40-year-old, but the 40-year-old did not join Schalke. this time, it was a ride he would not change after leaving Fenerbahçe in Turkey to return to Germany, where he started as a professional while at Wolfsburg.
“If I was still playing, I didn’t think I would be playing at the age of 40. If you would have asked me 10 years ago, I would have said no,” said Dzeko when he spoke to the media. “But I listen to my body and I do a lot of work before and after training because I’m not young anymore and I need to take care of my legs, my body and that’s what I do and I still feel good and I like to help the team where I play which I did in the last four months with Schalke and the national team, that’s why I continue.”
On the one hand, Dzeko shows the wonders of sports science to help keep athletes playing in their 40s, but he also understands the mental side of the game, which is also something that must be faced in order to stay at the highest levels for a long time. Almost 20 years since he made his debut for Bosnia in 2007, Dzeko will represent his country at the World Cup and he is not ready to take part. He scored six goals and assisted three more for Schalke as he pushed the club into the Bundesliga, and he was a no-go for Bosnia, scoring five goals and assisting one between World Cup and European World Cup qualifiers.
But not everything has been full of success in the past few years for the former Manchester City player, something he reflected on as he delves into why he never expected to be playing now.
“If the results don’t go well, like the first six months at Fiorentina, you don’t play the way you used to, a lot happens in your head,” said Dzeko. “But one thing I can say about myself is that I was always strong in my head, and I know that part of being a professional footballer is that there are tough times, so you have to understand when those tough times come, you need to be clear to yourself, and you need to be even better to get out of tough situations.”
When you are faced with the pressure of promotion and World Cup qualification, that mindset is important. Schalke were relegated from the Bundesliga at the end of the 2019-20 season, setting a club record for a run of 16 games without a win. While that relegation may seem like the foundation of the club, it was in fact what followed, with promotion campaigns cut short and unable to return to the top flight. But the fans remain, as Schalke is not only one of the biggest clubs in German football with a membership of over 200,000, but also one of the biggest in the world, making their return to the Bundesliga and the return of the Revierderby with Borussia Dortmund very special.
“Schalke was already at the top of the table in January, and they needed another boost and a high level in the team because the second half of the season is always difficult because the teams are fighting for something between relegation or promotion to the Bundesliga,” said Dzeko. “[In January]the club brought four or five more players, and that was a big decision for the team because I think all the players who came in January helped us a lot, and finally, we are going to the Bundesliga, which they deserve, and my decision in January was partly because I wanted to help this team get back to where it should be. “
The job is done there, but the next job is yet to begin as he captains Bosnia and Herzegovina in a tough group, including host nation Canada, Switzerland, and Qatar, but as he points out, a new generation of Bosnian soccer, including young players like Wisconsin-born Esmir Bajraktarevic, is starting.
“As a captain, you always have a big responsibility, especially when the new generation comes,” said Dzeko. “You have to show and lead the new generation in the right way, and I’m very happy that I can do that in the last two years, especially to help the team with these young players going to the next World Cup, and I think this is an amazing thing for them, and they have a big future ahead. I think the last two games against Wales and Italy, will change their lives for sure. Maybe they are not happy with this generation, but they don’t know that yet.”
It’s an amazing thing to be able to bring generations of Bosnian football together, and while Dzeko may not know what’s next, he’s doing his best to make sure that if this world cup is his last football career, he goes out on a high note.
