It will be emotional on October 2nd in Zenica: Edin Džeko announces his retirement from the BiH national team

The best football player in the history of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and certainly the most beloved in his country, Edin Džeko, announced that he will retire from the national team on October 2nd.

The experienced striker chose the match against Sweden in the Nations League as his last and also an opportunity to say goodbye to the fans at "Bilino Polje" in Zenica.

"Sometimes I wondered when this moment would come, but I could never have imagined how emotional I would be as I wrote these words. On October 2nd, against Sweden, I will play my next and last match for our national team," Džeko began his address via social media.

He is the absolute record holder for the number of appearances and goals in the BiH jersey. The popular Dijamant has played 151 matches for the "dragons" so far, and the 152nd against Sweden will also be his last. In that category, he is by far the first - only Miralem Pjanić has more than 100 appearances for BiH (115).

When it comes to goals, Džeko is by far the best. He has scored 73 times for Bosnia and Herzegovina. The closest he has come is Vedad Ibišević, who has scored 28 goals. "Nothing in my career can compare to the pride I felt every time I put on that jersey. Nothing. It was my boyhood dream, a dream I carried with me every time I had the honor of representing my country on the football field. I have always been just as proud to wear it, just like the first time. Almost 20 years have passed since that match against Turkey. A lot has changed since then, I have changed too, but my love for this jersey never has. Now I feel that the time has come for me to retire. If I have reached the age of 40 with the national team, it is because I gave everything I had. Every time. Everything. Playing for my country was the most emotional privilege football has ever given me."

The two greatest successes he has achieved with the national team are certainly the qualification for the 2014 and 2026 World Cups. "Qualifying for our first World Cup in 2014 remains one of the happiest moments of my life as a footballer. The emotions I felt that night after the goal against Wales, and then in Zenica against Italy in March, will forever remain in my heart. Seeing my people celebrating in the streets of our cities was another incredible gift that football has given me. There will be time to thank everyone who has been with me and supported me during this wonderful journey."

He called on all fans to fill the stadium in Zenica on October 2nd against Sweden. "For now, I just want you to be there that night against Sweden, to share another emotion together... Because each of these incredible moments was something we experienced together. And that's exactly how I want to experience my last night in the national team jersey: with all of you by my side, wearing the jersey that I've loved since I was a boy - and that I'll love for the rest of my life," concluded Edin Džeko.