Picture Courtesy of PSV Eindhoven
A professional soccer player with ties to the area has sent his country to the 2026 World Cup.
21-year-old Esmir Bajraktarević, an Appleton native who plays for the Bosnia and Herzegovina National Team, scored the final and decisive goal to send his team to the World Cup after defeating Italy on Tuesday (March 31st).
After his side got a late equalizing goal in the 80th minute, Bajraktarević stepped to the spot in a penalty shootout needing one final penalty kick to hit the back of the net to send Bosnia and Herzegovina to the summer tournament, with the losing team eliminated from contention.
Despite the pressure, Bajraktarević put his attempt past one of the world’s most elite keepers in 6’ 5” Gianluigi Donnarumma to secure the team’s spot in the World Cup.
Bajraktarević, a winger for the Dutch club PSV Eindhoven, previously represented the U.S. as a player before making the switch to play for Bosnia and Herzegovina, the birthplace of his parents.
Bajraktarević and the Bosnia and Herzegovina National Team will compete in Group B at the 2026 World Cup alongside Canada, Qatar, and Switzerland.
