Bosnia and Herzegovina Soccer Team

Created in 1992, the Bosnia and Herzegovina soccer team proudly displays the colors of a complex but promising country. Read more about this team, its players and their main achievements.

The Lilies and dragons

The Bosnians affectionately refer to their soccer team as the Lilies or the Dragons. The name Lilies refer to a certain type of flower, which served as a symbol for the ancient Bosnian kingdom. The Dragons refers to a legendary animal associated with strong men and leaders in Bosnian culture. Either way, the soccer team is a symbol of national pride. Even if Bosnia and Herzegovina have had issues about functioning as a country because of its diversity, the soccer team definitely unites people around a common passion.

The creation of the team

In 1992, the country left the Yugoslavian Federation, and its citizens founded an independent country. Before 1992, Bosnian soccer players could take part in the Yugoslavian Federation team. The players created an independent Bosnian team in 1992.

Major FIFA events

This team has not yet played in any major soccer tournaments but has done rather well in certain qualification events. In 1994, the team won against Italy in what still remains one of the greatest matches ever played by this team. In 1998, the team came very close to entering the FIFA World Cup event. In 2010, the Bosnia and Herzegovina soccer team played against Portugal in a memorable match for qualification in the same FIFA event. The 2012 play-offs saw the team play against Portugal again.

The Bosnia and Herzegovina soccer team definitely suffers from the sometimes-unstable political situation of their country. The funding for this team does not even compare to what other European countries spend on their national soccer teams.