Bosnia and Herzegovina qualified through the UEFA playoffs and will be making its second-ever World Cup appearance in 2026. The team, led by coach Sergej Barbarez, boasts talented attacking players from Europe’s professional leagues. The opening match against host Canada in Toronto will be a special moment for Bosnian soccer.
Bosnia and Herzegovina's goalkeepers at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Coach Sergej Barbarez was the first of all 48 nations to announce his full roster. In goal are Nikola Vasilj, Martin Zlomislić, and Osman Hadžikić—three goalkeepers who span the entire spectrum from the Bundesliga to the Croatian-Bosnian regional league.
Vasilj, born in Mostar in 1995, is at the heart of this qualifying story. In the playoff final against Italy, he made the decisive save in the penalty shootout, sending Bosnia to only its second World Cup appearance in the country’s history, while Italy failed to qualify for the third time in a row. It was a moment that transcended sports.
His path to that moment was a long one: through youth teams in his home country, the reserve squad of 1. FC Nürnberg, Ukraine, and the 2. Bundesliga, he worked his way up to professional soccer in Germany. With St. Pauli, he celebrated promotion as second-division champions in 2024—and proved himself a reliable anchor in the following first-division season despite his club’s difficult relegation battle. In the current 2025/26 Bundesliga season, he has made 27 appearances. His father, Vladimir, was the Bosnian-Croatian national team goalkeeper and a third-place finisher at the 1998 World Cup—goalkeeping runs in the family.
Vasilj is not a flashy goalkeeper, but one who provides stability to the team: quick-reflexed, confident in controlling the penalty area, and mentally resilient under pressure. For Bosnia, he is more than just the number one—he is the symbol of this World Cup qualification campaign.
Nikola Vasilj Soccer Cleats
Zlomislić, a 27-year-old from Posušje, has been playing for HNK Rijeka in the Croatian Prva HNL since 2021. He has appeared in 15 league matches this season and is Barbarez’s designated backup. With only two international appearances, he is still inexperienced on the international stage, but brings solid club football experience at the top level of Southeast European leagues.
Martin Zlomislić Goalkeeper Gloves
Hadžikić, 30, is a Bosnian international with a history in Austria—he came up through the youth ranks at Austria Vienna and played for the Austrian U19 and U21 teams, but ultimately chose to represent Bosnia. Today, he is the starting goalkeeper for Slaven Belupo in the Croatian HNL. He is the third-choice goalkeeper for the Zmajevi and an experienced backup behind Vasilj and Zlomislić.