Edin Dzeko is proving that age is just a number after the 40-year-old played a key role as Bosnia-Herzegovina beat Wales in their World Cup qualifying play-offs semi-final.
The former Manchester City striker scored a late equaliser before his side won in the penalty shootout to set up a match with Italy next Tuesday.
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He also showed he still has fire in the belly as he clashed with Wales manager Craig Bellamy – his former City team-mate – at one point in the match.
The win means Dzeko is just one victory away from joining an exclusive club of players who are 40 or over to have played at a World Cup.
In fact only one outfield player has ever managed it – Roger Milla for Cameroon at the 1994 USA World Cup.
Milla was 42 years and 35 days when he played Brazil, and then faced Russia four days later, when he also scored.
A World Cup for the veterans?
Luka Modric, 40, and Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, are set to feature at the 2026 World Cup [Getty Images]
After years of World Cups without any outfield players aged 40 or over featuring in it, Dzeko could actually have some company this summer, if Bosnia-Herzegovina see off Italy next week
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Croatia’s veteran midfielder Luka Modric is set to captain his country at the tournament, which will be his sixth World Cup.
Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, is also set to feature at his sixth World Cup.
But. while those two are World Cup regulars. qualification for the upcoming edition will end a long wait for Dzeko – who has not featured at the tournament in 12 years.
While a 40-plus outfield player at a World Cup is rare there have been six goalkeepers to have done it.
‘I’m not a write-off yet’ – Dzeko getting better with age?
Dzeko has been a crucial player for his country since his international debut in 2007, and has 73 goals in 147 appearances – scoring every year for the past two decades.
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Until as recently as last year he was still reaching double figures for goals at club level.
Last summer, he returned to Serie A to sign for Fiorentina and, at the time, dismissed suggestions he was slowing down with age.
“Age doesn’t matter, I’m not a write-off yet,” he said.
“Behind all this is the work that a 39-year-old has to do, even more than others. I feel good, we’re working hard, and this will bring us satisfaction later.”
That move did not quite work out and Dzeko soon found himself out of favour at the club, having failed to score in 11 Serie A games.
But a switch to Schalke in Bundesliga 2 in January has reinvigorated him – possibly at just the right time as the World Cup approaches – and he has scored six goals in eight games for the German side.
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On what the future holds for him, Dzeko said recently: “I’ll listen to my body in the summer but at the moment, I still feel very good, and I still score goals.”
But if he does help his country qualify for the World Cup, it is very likely that conversation with his body will be delayed a little longer.
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