Picture Courtesy of PSV Eindhoven
A professional soccer player with local ties has made his World Cup debut.
21-year-old forward Esmir Bajraktarevic of Appleton officially made his first appearance in the 2026 FIFA World Cup last week playing for the Bosnia and Herzegovina National Team.
The Appleton native’s side played to a 1-1 draw with host nation Canada, a game which Bajraktarevic started.
The 21-year-old played 74 quality minutes for Bosnia and Herzegovina and was surely missed after leaving the pitch as Canada equalized less than five minutes after he was subbed off.
Bajraktarevic gained notoriety after scoring the decisive goal in a penalty shootout against Italy which secured his country’s spot in the World Cup earlier this year.
Bajraktarevic grew up in the Appleton area and originally represented the United States as an international player; however, he switched to play for Bosnia and Herzegovina, the birthplace of both of his parents.
Professionally, he plays for PSV Eindhoven, last year’s champions in the top soccer league in the Netherlands. Bajraktarevic and Bosnia and Herzegovina will next hit the field on Thursday (June 18th) against Switzerland.
