Bosnia coach Sergej Barbarez aims to lift national team after heavy defeat

Sergej Barbarez, appointed as Bosnia and Herzegovina's national team coach in 2024, entered the role without prior professional coaching experience. His early tenure saw a string of poor results, including six defeats, two draws and a 7‑0 loss to Germany that relegated the team to League B of the Nations League.

Despite the setbacks, Barbarez has begun to rebuild the squad, recruiting diaspora players such as Nikola Katić from FC Zürich and retaining veteran captain Edin Džeko. The federation has granted him a four‑year contract, tasking him with qualifying Bosnia for its first European Championship in 2028 while the 2026 World Cup remains a secondary focus. The side competes in a qualification group with Austria, Romania, Cyprus and San Marino, and the recent progress to the play‑offs has been hailed as a modest success.

Barbarez cites his authority and personal experience as compensating for his lack of coaching background, aiming to turn Bosnia into a competitive side on the European stage.