Bosnian striker Edin Dzeko, left, greets Italian midfielder Bryan Cristante after the countries' penalty shootout in Zenica, Bosnia, on Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut)
June 11, 2026 - 4:31 PM
TORONTO — Edin Dzeko is ready to go.
Bosnia-Herzegovina head coach Sergej Barbarez says the 40-year-old striker will be available for his country's World Cup opener against Canada on Friday.
Dzeko hasn't played since mid-May due to a shoulder injury originally suffered when the Bosnians upset Italy in a European playoff over two legs back in March to qualify for the expanded 48-team event.
The former Manchester City man, who now plays for German club Schalke, has scored 73 times across 148 international appearances.
Bosnia is set to take the field at its second World Cup after also qualifying in 2014.
Canada, the event's co-hosts with the United States and Mexico, is looking for its first-ever victory at the global showcase after losing all three of its group matches at both 1986 and 2022 tournaments.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2026.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2026