Bosnia is famous for its snow-capped peaks, forests, monasteries, mosques, Mostar bridge, food and sadly for the war which ravaged it in the early 1990's. It has, before and since, also produced some good football players.
Bosnia gained independence in 1992 and from 1995 have competed in UEFA and FIFA competitions.
The "Zmajevi" (The Dragons) have participated in one World Cup, in Brazil 2014. They were eliminated in the first round. Bosnia have played 3 playoffs to get to the European Championships but lost them all.
In FIFA ranking their highest position was 13th in August 1993 while their worst was 173rd in September 1996. In April 2024 they were 74th.
The Bosnian league, "Premijer Liga Bosne i Hercegovine", was formed in 2000. According to UEFA it is the 35th most competitive league in Europe. The most winning team is Zrinjski Mostar with 8 league titles, followed by Željezničar and Sarajevo with 5. The reigning champions are Zrinjski Mostar.
Bosnian clubs' best results in Europe are Zeljeznicar reaching the 1st round of the European Cup in 1971-72 and a UEFA Cup semi-final in 1984-85. These results were obtained, obviously still representing Yugoslavia.
The best Bosnian players in history include; Safet Sušić, Hasan Salihamidzic, Emir Spahić, Zvjezdan Misimović, Nemanja Bilbina, Sergej Barbarez, Steve Nikolić, Asmir Begović, Krešimir Kordić, Vedad Ibišević, Senad Lulić, Edin Višća, Miralem Pjanic and Edin Džeko.
Some of these and more have played or are playing in Italy. Lazio have had two Bosnian players and a manager.
1940's
Petar Manola - forward - Lazio
Petar Manola arrived at Lazio in 1942 from BSK Belgrade. He stayed at Lazio for four years.
In 1942-43 Lazio finished 9th in Serie A under Alexander Popovic. The highlights were beating Ambrosiana-Inter 3-1, Juventus 5-3, Roma 3-1, Milan 4-2 at home and Juventus 4-2 away). Manola played 11 league games with 4 goals (Liguria, Triestina x2, Fiorentina) plus a game in Coppa Italia.
In 1943-44 Serie A was interrupted due to the war. Football continued at regional level and Lazio played in the Campionato Romano. Lazio won with 14 wins and 4 draws (including both games against Roma). Manola played 12 games with 1 goal (Roma) and 2 games in the post season 4-team tournament won by Roma.
In 1944-45 Lazio finished 2nd in the Campionato Romano under manager Dino Canestri. Lazio won 8 (including Roma 1-0), drew 2 and lost 4. Manola played 9 league games and another 7 in other tournaments.
In 1945-46 Italian football was divided in two groups; a northern one and a centre-south one. Lazio finished 7th in the centre-south group, under three different managers; Dino Canestri, Salvador Gualtieri and then Tony Cargnelli. The highlights were wins against Fiorentina 1-0, Pescara 6-0 and Roma 1-0. Manola played 20 league games with 1 goal (Roma, but in a defeat).
In 1946 Manola left Lazio and joined Olympique Lyonnais and then Red Star for a season each. He then returned to Italy and had a season at Napoli, one at Cavese, one at Benevento and four at Turris (Torre del Greco - Napoli).
He then became a manager, first as player-manager at Turris and then as manager in 1962-63. In 1963-64 he was at Savoia (Torre Annunziata- Napoli). Outside football he settled in Naples and became a dentist.
Manola was a forward. He was quick and agile (he was also a 400 metre hurdles and 800 metre runner). He was at Lazio during the war years and played a total of 62 games with 6 goals (2 in derbies). He also won 9 caps for Yugoslavia.
He died in Rome in 2004.
1980's
Davor Jozić - defender (Cesena 1987-93, Spezia 1995-96, 181 league games with 3 goals). He won 27 caps for Yugoslavia with 2 goals.
In the 1980's Lazio had a goalkeeper, Silvano Martina, who was born in Sarajevo, the Bosnian capital. His family moved to Bosnia for work and Silvano lived there for the first 12 years of his childhood. His father was friends with Edin Džeko's father, in fact Silvano was Dzeko's agent for a while. Silvano Martina played 58 league games for Lazio (1987-89) and won a promotion to Serie A.
2000's
Zlatan Muslimovic - forward (Udinese 2000-01, Perugia 2001-02, Pistoiese 2002, Ascoli 2002-03, Padova 2003-04, Rimini 2004-05, Messina 2005-06, Parma 2006-07, Atalanta 2007-08, 147 league games with 31 goals). He left for PAOK in Greece. He won 31 caps for Bosnia with 12 goals. He also has Swedish citizenship.
Vedin Musić - defender/midfielder (Como 2001-03, Modena 2003-05, Torino 2005-07, Treviso 2007, Padova 2007-08, Pro Patria 2008-09, Arezzo 2009-10, 218 league games with 7 goals). He won 45 caps for Bosnia.
Enis Nadarević - forward (Sanvitese in Friuli 2006-10, Varese 2010-13, Genoa 2013, Cesena 2013-14, Bari 2014 and then another 12 clubs including Novara and Trapani before retiring in 2023 after over 300 league games at various levels).
Hasan Salihamidžić - midfielder (Juventus 2007-11, 61 league games with 6 goals, 6 in Coppa Italia with 1 goal and 7 games in Europe). He also played for Hamburger SV, Bayern Munich (winning 6 league titles, 1 Champions League and 1 Intercontinental Cup) and VfL Wolfsburg. He won 42 caps for Bosnia and Herzegovina. His nickname was first the "Braco" and later the "Brazzo".
Miralem Pjanić - midfielder (Roma 2011-2016, Juventus 2016-20, 281 league games with 42 goals and 4 league titles, 2 Italian Cups and 1 Supercoppa all with Juventus). He left for Barcelona, then played at Beşiktaş and now in United Arab Emirates, while earlier in his career played for Olympique Lyonnais. He has 115 Bosnian caps with 15 goals.
Senad Lulić - midfielder - Lazio
Senad Lulić arrived at Lazio in 2011 from Young Boys. He stayed ten seasons and became a club legend.
He played a total of 371 games (282 in A) with 34 goals. Lazio finished 4th, 7th, 9th, 3rd (CL), 8th, 5th (EL), 5th (EL), 8th, 4th (CL) and 6th (EL).
His managers were Edy Reja (2011-12, 2014), Vladimir Petkovic (2012 -14), Stefano Pioli (2014-16) and Simone Inzaghi (2016-2021).
It was in the cups however that Lazio and Lulic got their main satisfactions. The biggest of all came with a Lulic winner which made him an eternal hero at Lazio. In the 2013 Coppa Italia final, Lulic scored the only goal of the game in the 71st minute against eternal rivals Roma. A historic final and Lulic was the hero, forever.
In 2017 Lazio won the Italian Supercoppa, beating Juventus 3-2 with a 93rd minute winner.
In 2019 Lazio won the Coppa Italia again defeating Atalanta 2-0.
In December 2019 Lazio won the Italian Supercoppa, played in Riyad in Saudi Arabia. The opponents were Juventus again and with the score on 1-1 Lulic brilliantly volleyed in Lazio's second. A Danilo Cataldi freekick then made it 3-1. A triumph against CR7's Bianconeri.
Lulic needless to say was a great success at Lazio. He arrived as an unknown entity and did not shine immediately but then became a reliable, versatile and solid midfielder. He played on the left of midfield and had good speed and resistance especially over a distance.
His name, shirt number and the minute he scored in the cup final derby are still graffitied over Rome but even when they fade his name will live on as a legend at Lazio.
Vladimir Petković - manager - Lazio
Vladimir Petković arrived at Lazio in 2012 from Sion. He stayed a season and a half but oversaw one of Lazio’s greatest ever successes.
In 2012-13, in Serie A, Lazio started well and after half the fixtures were second (with wins including derby 3-2, Milan 3-2, Inter 1-0). The Biancocelesti then slowed down and finished 7th.
In the Europa League Lazio reached the quarter finals (with wins including Stuttgart and Borussia Mönchengladbach) but were eliminated by Fenerbahçe and a scandalous referee.
In the Coppa Italia however Lazio triumphed. They knocked out Siena, Catania and Juventus to set up a historic derby final against Roma. A goal by compatriot Lulic gave Lazio and their fans an epic win.
The following year things did not go so well. Lazio lost the Supercoppa to Juventus. In the league too Lazio struggled, not helped by the fact that Petkovic had agreed to become the next Switzerland manager from July. In December, with Lazio in 10th place and 9 points off Europe, he was replaced by Edy Reja.
Petkovic was Swiss manager for seven years, then Bordeaux for a season and is currently manager of Algeria.
Petkovic, known as "Il Dottore", speaks 6 languages and also has Croatian and Swiss citizenship. He was popular at Lazio for his elegance and calm but above all will always be remembered as the manager of the 26th May triumph over bitter rivals Roma.
Ervin Zukanović - defender (Chievo 2014-15, Sampdoria 2015-16, Roma 2016, Atalanta 2016-17, Genoa 2017-19, SPAL 2020, 131 league games with 5 goals). He left for Turkey but now plays in Greece. He has 38 caps for Bosnia.
Rade Krunic - midfielder (Empoli 2015-19, Milan 2018-24, 217 league games with 13 goals and 1 Scudetto with Milan and 1 Serie B title with Empoli). He now plays at Fenerbahçe in Turkey. He has won 33 caps for Bosnia with 4 goals.
In this period Lazio had a player of Bosnian origin. Franjo Prce was born in Capljina, Bosnia but was brought up in Croatia and became Croatian. He played one league game for Lazio in 2015-16. He then went to Brescia on loan, playing 7 league games before returning to Lazio in 2017-18. He then went to Istria on loan before going to play in Cyprus. He is currently at Koper in Slovenia.
Daniel Pavlović - defender (Frosinone 2015-16, Sampdoria 2016-17, Crotone 2017-18, Perugia 2019, 42 league games). He came from and returned to Switzerland as he also has Swiss nationality. He has won 2 caps for Bosnia.
Edin Džeko - forward (Roma 2015-21, Inter 2021-23, 335 league games with 136 goals and 2 Italian cups and 2 Supercoppe all with Inter). He previously played for Wolfsburg and Manchester City, winning silverware, including 1 Bundesliga, 2 Premier Leagues and an FA Cup. The "Swan of Sarajevo" has won 134 caps for Bosnia with 65 goals.
Andrej Modić - midfielder (Milan 2015-18 but Vicenza 2015-16, Brescia 2016-17, Rende 2017-18, Real Giulianova 2021, 29 league games). He now plays in Bosnia. He played 4 games for Bosnia U21's.
Asmir Begovic - goalkeeper (Milan 2020, 2 league games). He spent most of his career in England including; Portsmouth, Stoke City and Chelsea). He has 63 caps for Bosnia. He also has Canadian citizenship.
2023-24
In Serie A: Sead Kolâsinac (Atalanta), Milan Djuric (Monza and formerly Cesena, Ascoli, Crotone, Cremonese, Trapani, Cittadella, Cesena again, Salernitana and Verona)
In Serie B: Mato Jajalo (Venezia and formerly Siena, Palermo and Udinese), Petar Zovko (Spezia), Adnan Kanuric (Palermo)
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