Džeko ends Bosnia career with draw against Sweden

Edin Džeko’s international career ended with a 1-1 draw as Bosnia and Herzegovina came from behind against Sweden in the UEFA Nations League on Friday. Džeko started and captained Bosnia in his final appearance for the national team. The match concluded a career that began with his debut against Türkiye on June 2, 2007.

Sweden took the lead in the 61st minute through Viktor Gyökeres. The striker continued a productive international window, having also scored against Romania and Poland. He has now scored in all three of Sweden’s Nations League matches during the current period.

Bosnia responded in the 80th minute when Kerim Alajbegović equalised, securing a point for the hosts and extending the team’s unbeaten start to the Nations League campaign. Bosnia had previously drawn 0-0 with Poland and beaten Romania 4-2. Džeko leaves international football as Bosnia and Herzegovina’s most-capped player and record scorer.

Before Friday’s match, he had made 151 appearances and scored 73 goals; his final appearance took his total to 152 caps, while his goals tally remained 73. In a statement reflecting on his retirement, Džeko described representing Bosnia as his “most emotional privilege” in football. He said qualifying for the 2014 World Cup was among the happiest moments of his career and that his affection for the national-team shirt had remained unchanged.

Džeko also helped Bosnia qualify for its first World Cup in 2014 and captained the country at the 2026 tournament. His farewell came with Bosnia securing another result in a Nations League campaign that has yet to bring defeat, while Gyökeres’ scoring run gave Sweden a positive individual storyline despite the late equaliser.