Bajraktarevic Explains Decision To Represent Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bajraktarevic: “The decision for me was very easy. It was something I knew I wanted to do since I was little. It was just a process that took a while. I’m very happy I made it."
After representing the United States, Esmir Bajraktarevic made the switch to play for the national team of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
It’s a decision he’d been thinking about for some time.
“The decision for me was very easy,” Bajraktarevic told The Blazing Musket. “It was something I knew I wanted to do since I was little. It was just a process that took a while. I’m very happy I made it. There’s no feeling like representing your country.”
While Bajraktarevic grew up in Appleton, WI, he was “raised in a Bosnian culture.”
His parents fled the country due to the war that began in 1992. They arrived in the United States in 2001 as part of a refugee program.
“I’m very proud of where I’m from,” Bajraktarevic said. “It means a lot to me. It’s how I was raised. I was raised in a Bosnian culture, so it’s everything.”
Bajraktarevic featured for the United States at various youth levels before making his first team debut on January 20, 2024.
While he enjoyed playing for the Stars and Stripes, he’s always had a desire to represent the country where his parents were born.
“I think even if it came down to it, for the first team, senior team, it would’ve always been Bosnia,” Bajraktarevic explained. “The youth teams, obviously I had really good experiences there and everything, but yeah, for me, it was no question.”
Bajraktarevic made his first two appearances for Bosnia and Herzegovina in September. In his debut, he megged Wout Weghorst and provided an assist to childhood idol Edin Dzeko.
“[Dzeko] was somebody I looked up to since I was little,” Bajraktarevic said. “To be honest, it just felt like a dream to me. It was a very proud moment for me.”
Bajraktarevic is now preparing for another window of international soccer with Bosnia and Herzegovina as they host Germany on Friday (2:45 pm EST) and Hungary on Monday (2:45 pm EST).
Any opportunity to represent your country is special, but these games hold more weight as Bajraktarevic’s parents will be in attendance to witness his home debut.
The 19-year-old has gotten a little taste of what it will be like to play at Stadion Bilino Polje as Bosnian fans have been supporting Bajraktarevic in stadiums throughout Major League Soccer.
Bajraktarevic admits that he loves seeing the flags and hearing the chants in the United States.
“They have the best fans in the world,” Bajraktarevic said.