Sergej Barbarez (foto: Getty Images)
Sergej Barbarez led Bosnia and Herzegovina to the World Cup despite having no prior coaching career, completing a remarkable journey shaped by war, identity, and lifelong loyalty.
Sergej Barbarez was once known only as a great player. Today, he stands as a national hero after leading Bosnia and Herzegovina to the World Cup in the USA, Mexico, and Canada.
Not long ago, the national team faced criticism and disappointment. Now, after a dramatic penalty shootout win over Italy in Zenica, everything has changed.
On the pitch, Edin Džeko led the team with experience and determination. Off the pitch, the transformation came from Barbarez, who rebuilt the squad in just two years despite having no previous coaching experience.
His emotional reaction after the win spoke for itself. Tears at the press conference captured a moment that quickly spread across the football world.
This success crowns a story shaped by identity, war, and personal conviction.
Barbarez was born in Mostar, to a Serb father and a mother of Croatian-Bosniak origin. Until the age of 20, he did not focus on nationality. That changed when the war began.
Just before the conflict, he moved to Germany, joining family in Hannover. He would stay there for 22 years and build a strong career in the Bundesliga.
"Except for me and my wife, the whole family experienced the war. We watched destruction and death on TV. I am not a religious person. I didn't know what I was until I was twenty. My mother is half Croatian, half Muslim, my father is an Orthodox Serb, my wife is Croatian. None of this matters. Religion and nationality have never played a major role in my family," he once said.
During his career, Barbarez played for Velež, Hannover, Union Berlin, Hansa Rostock, Borussia Dortmund, Hamburg, and Bayer Leverkusen, before retiring in 2008.
His path to the national team was not simple.
In 1998, after the war, he chose to represent Bosnia and Herzegovina despite serious threats to his family.
"She almost disappeared twice. They tried to kidnap her and kill her. I got in touch with people who could deny it. I said that I would play for my homeland when my mother was safe," he revealed.
After political intervention ensured her safety, Barbarez made his debut at 26 against Argentina in Cordoba.
He had offers from Germany and Croatia, but never hesitated.
"People, I am not German, I am from Mostar," he said.
He later reflected on that decision.
"Maybe today I would have played in many World Cups and European Championships. But I always wanted to play for the country where I was born."
Now, decades later, his dream has come full circle.
Barbarez has taken Bosnia and Herzegovina to the biggest stage in football.
"I am waiting for June 12 at nine in the evening, for our anthem to be played. This is my lifelong dream," he said after the victory over Italy.
From war and uncertainty to leading a nation back to the top level, Barbarez has written one of the most powerful stories in modern football.