Bosnia and Herzegovina football history: 30 years since victory over Italy

The Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team celebrates the 30th anniversary of its historic 2:1 victory against Italy. The match, held on November 6, 1996, at the Koševo Stadium in Sarajevo, remains a landmark moment for the nation.

In front of approximately 40,000 spectators, goals from Hasan Salihamidžić and Elvir Bolić secured the win against an Italian side featuring stars such as Paolo Maldini, Gianfranco Zola, and Francesco Toldo. This victory marked the first official win in the history of the Bosnian and Herzegovinian national team and served as a significant international sporting event for a country recovering from war.

Hasan Salihamidžić, who scored in the sixth minute, also reflected on his early career during the dissolution of Yugoslavia. He recounted the difficulties of traveling through barricades in April 1992 to reach a youth international match, an experience that preceded his rise to prominence in European football.