The history of football in Bosnia and Herzegovina dates back to the early 1900s during the Austro-Hungarian rule.
The beginnings of the Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team itself date back to the team's formation and first ever international match in November 1995 days after the end of Bosnian War.
The team has qualified for two major tournaments so far; the FIFA World Cup in 2014 and 2026.
History
Football under Yugoslav colors
The game reached Bosnia and Herzegovina at the start of the 20th century, with Sarajevo (in 1903) and Mostar (in 1905) being the first cities to embrace it. Banja Luka, Tuzla, Zenica and Bihać were next along with numerous smaller towns as the sport began to spread.
The country was under Austro-Hungarian rule when official competition began in 1908, though these activities were on a small scale within each territory. At the outbreak of World War I, there were four clubs in Sarajevo—SAŠK, Slavija, Đerzelez (also known as Sarajevski), and Makabi Sarajevo (also known as Barkohba),—with approximately 20 more outside the capital.
The creation of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia after 1918 brought an increase in the number of leagues, with a national championship being played since 1923. Until 1940 it featured three teams from Bosnia and Herzegovina: Sarajevo clubs SAŠK and Slavija and Krajišnik from Banja Luka. In 1920, the direct predecessor of the football organization of Bosnia-Herzegovina was founded as the Sarajevo football subassociation. The unified championship ran until the 1939–40 season, followed by the start of the Second World War.
The Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina was founded after the Second World War, being affiliated to the Yugoslav Football Association, then part of the newly founded SFR Yugoslavia.
Bosnia and Herzegovina's best sides at the time were Sarajevo, Željezničar (Sarajevo) and Velež (Mostar) which regularly played in the Yugoslav First League, second league and cup competitions with moderate success, while its best players with the likes of Safet Sušić, Vahid Halilhodžić, Faruk Hadžibegić, Ivica Osim, Blaž Slišković, Mehmed Baždarević, Dušan Bajević; who notably scored a hat-trick at 1974 FIFA World Cup, Josip Katalinski, Asim Ferhatović, and others were chosen to represent the Yugoslavia national football team.
After the completion of UEFA Euro 1968, two players from SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mirsad Fazlagić and Ivica Osim, were chosen in the UEFA Team of the Tournament whilst representing the Yugoslavia national team that ended up reaching the final of the tournament.
+ Bosnian-Herzegovinian players who represented Yugoslavia at Major Competitions (1920–1990)CompetitionPlayersCoaches 1920 Summer OlympicsNone- 1924 Summer OlympicsNone- 1928 Summer OlympicsNone- 1930 FIFA World CupNone- 1948 Summer OlympicsMiroslav Brozović, Branko Stanković- 1950 FIFA World CupPredrag Đajić, Branko Stanković- 1952 Summer OlympicsBranko Stanković- 1954 FIFA World CupBranko Stanković, Lev Mantula- 1956 Summer Olympics Kruno Radiljević, Ibrahim Biogradlić, Muhamed Mujić- 1958 FIFA World CupNone- 1960 UEFA EuroMilan Galić, Tomislav Knez, Muhamed Mujić- 1960 Summer OlympicsMilan Galić, Tomislav Knez, Velimir Sombolac- 1962 FIFA World CupVlatko Marković, Andrija Anković, Milan Galić, Muhamed Mujić, Nikola Stipić- 1964 Summer OlympicsIvan Ćurković, Mirsad Fazlagić, Svetozar Vujović, Ivica Osim- 1968 UEFA EuroMirsad Fazlagić, Ivica Osim, Vahidin Musemić, Boško Antić, Idriz Hošić- 1974 FIFA World CupEnver Marić, Enver Hadžiabdić, Josip Katalinski, Franjo Vladić, Dušan Bajević, Rizah Mešković- 1976 UEFA EuroDžemal Hadžiabdić, Josip Katalinski, Enver Marić, Vahid Halilhodžić, Edhem Šljivo, Franjo Vladić- 1980 Summer Olympics Boro Primorac, Srebrenko Repčić, Miloš Šestić, Zoran Vujović, Zlatko Vujović, Dževad Šećerbegović, Vladimir Matijević- 1982 FIFA World CupEdhem Šljivo, Zoran Vujović, Zlatko Vujović, Safet Sušić, Miloš Šestić, Vahid Halilhodžić, Predrag Pašić- 1984 UEFA EuroMirsad Baljić, Miloš Šestić, Safet Sušić, Mehmed Baždarević, Zlatko Vujović, Faruk Hadžibegić, Sulejman Halilović - 1984 Summer Olympics Mehmed Baždarević, Vlado Čapljić, Mirsad Baljić, Admir Smajić- 1988 Summer Olympics Semir Tuce, Cvijan Milošević, Davor Jozić, Refik ŠabanadžovićIvica Osim, Džemaludin Mušović 1990 FIFA World CupFaruk Hadžibegić, Davor Jozić, Safet Sušić, Zlatko Vujović, Fahrudin Omerović, Refik Šabanadžović, Mirsad BaljićIvica Osim, Džemaludin Mušović
Early years of Bosnia-Herzegovina
Shortly after Bosnia and Herzegovina's independence from Yugoslavia, at the outbreak of Bosnian War, a selection of Bosnia and Herzegovina players under the name "Bosnia-Herzegovina Humanitarian Stars" took part in humanitarian friendly matches away from home versus K.R.C. Genk and 1. FC Kaiserslautern during March 1993. Blaž Slišković was the captain of this Bosnia and Herzegovina national side. A few months later, Bosnia and Herzegovina football team (players assembled mainly from then FK Sarajevo) under manager Fuad Muzurović played their first match against another national team, and it took place in Tehran against Iran. Bosnia and Herzegovina won 3–1. However the result was never registered as Bosnia and Herzegovina was not yet a member of FIFA.
During the same period, on 22 July 1995, Bosnia and Herzegovina national team played another humanitarian match against Fortuna Düsseldorf, largely thanks to Aleksandar Ristić (Düsseldorf coach at the time) and Enver Marić (Düsseldorf goalkeeper coach) who were the most responsible for bringing the team to Germany at the time. Haris Škoro scored a brace for Bosnia and Herzegovina at the game which finished 2–2.
The team's first FIFA recognized friendly match, coming just nine days after the Dayton Peace Agreement brought an end to the Bosnian War, was played in Tirana against Albania on 30 November 1995. Then still a Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (as Dayton Agreement was formally signed on 14 December 1995 starting modern-day state of Bosnia and Herzegovina), the team was granted provisional FIFA membership to play this football game which Bosnia and Herzegovina lost 2–0. The team played in the shirts bought in neighbouring country's sports shops hours before the flight. The starting eleven playing under head coach Fuad Muzurović at that friendly contest were: Ismir Pintol, Vedin Musić, Ibrahim Duro, Muhamed Konjić, Senad Begić, Nedžad Fazlagić, Esmir Džafić, Enes Demirović, Husref Musemić, Asim Hrnjić, and Almir Turković.
Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team was not eligible to take part in FIFA World Cup 1994 qualifiers as the country only became a member of FIFA in July 1996. UEFA affiliation came in 1998 in Dublin and again the country missed out on taking part in UEFA Euro 1996 qualifiers. In doing so Bosnia and Herzegovina became the only nation in the world in the modern times to first become a member of the World football organisation FIFA followed by becoming member of its continental organisation, UEFA. The national team's first international victory as a FIFA member came against 1994 FIFA World Cup runners-up Italy on 6 November 1996.Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team results#1996 The former Yugoslav country was ranked 170, while Italy were fifth at the time (a gap of 165 spots).
Post-war period
Bosnia and Herzegovina's first qualifying attempt for any major tournament saw them grouped with Greece, Denmark, and two former Yugoslav republics Croatia and Slovenia during qualifiers for the 1998 FIFA World Cup. On 1 September 1996, captained by Mehmed Baždarević, Bosnia and Herzegovina made their UEFA debut going down 3–0 versus Greece in their first ever official major tournament qualifying match. Bosnia and Herzegovina finished the group in fourth position, having beaten Slovenia twice, and beating Denmark 3–0 at home. Fuad Muzurović led the team at its first qualifying campaign. In the eventual tournament, Denmark reached Quarter-finals stage while Croatia took bronze.
Mišo Smajlović's Bosnia and Herzegovina side only won 3 games from 10 played in the UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying campaign. The results were two losses against the Czech Republic, two losses against Scotland, a win and a draw against the Faroe Islands and Estonia respectively and a win and a loss against Lithuania. The team finished in third place level on points with Lithuania and Estonia but with a better head-to-head record.
On 25 April 2000, Bosnia and Herzegovina played a humanitarian game for Bosnian and Herzegovinian orphans against FIFA's World Stars XI in front of 25,000 people at the Koševo Stadium in Sarajevo. The game finished 0–1 in favour of the Stars through a Roberto Baggio penalty. Dunga and Ali Daei also made appearances for the World XI.
In the World Cup 2002 qualifying round, the Bosnians and Herzegovinians continued the bad form and finished in fourth place, behind Spain, Austria and Israel having only beaten Liechtenstein both home and away. After this campaign Blaž Slišković was named to replace coach Mišo Smajlović.
Despite poor start, Bosnia had a chance to top their Euro 2004 qualifying group with a victory on the last match-day. Blaž Slišković's men started the qualifying campaign with two losses, home to Romania and away to Norway in Oslo. The following year, team beat Luxembourg and came out with a 2–0 win versus Denmark in Copenhagen. Romania however proved too strong once again for the Bosnians and Herzegovinians, scoring once in each half to prevail in Craiova. In September 2003 Bosnia and Herzegovina, thanks to Zlatan Bajramović's 87th-minute strike, beat Norwegians in Zenica. This followed with a victory over Luxembourg. Bosnia and Herzegovina climbed to third on the table with 12 points, and had a chance to top the group with a win over Denmark in Sarajevo. However, the game finished in a heartbreaking 1–1 home draw for the home side who had to settle for a fourth-place finish instead.
In the World Cup 2006 qualifying round, the Bosnians and Herzegovinians played Spain, drawing twice, Belgium (one win, one loss), Serbia and Montenegro (one draw, one loss), San Marino (two wins), but spilled crucial points at home against Lithuania playing only 1–1 (having won away). Against Serbia and Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina drew at home but lost the second leg in Belgrade with a score 1–0. Bosnia and Herzegovina was hoping to finish in at least second position with an away win over their neighbours and hoping Spain to lose. Against Spain, Bosnia and Herzegovina led 1–0 for most of the match thanks to Zvjezdan Misimović's goal in the 39th minute but the game ended in draw when Carlos Marchena of Spain scored to level the game in the 96th minute at the Estadio Mestalla in Valencia, and after Bosnia had two players sent off. The match finished 1–1. Bosnia and Herzegovina finished third, and undefeated at home, in their World Cup 2006 qualifying group four points behind second placed Spain and four points in front of fourth placed Belgium.
2008 UEFA European Football Championship qualifying campaign began with a 5–2 victory over Malta away. However, losses to Hungary and Greece at home, and a draw with Moldova in Chisinau led to Fuad Muzurović appointed as interim coach following the departure of Blaž Slišković. In addition to this change, 13 first team players refused to play for the national team, calling for four key Bosnia and Herzegovina Football Association officials at the time – Milan Jelić, Iljo Dominković, Sulejman Čolaković, and Ahmet Pašalić – to resign.
Edin Džeko, Vedad Ibišević, Sejad Salihović, Senijad Ibričić and Boris Pandža who played in the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 play-offs vs Czech Republic, commenced their senior careers at this point as a result of the recent changes within the squad.