Football Victories Shape a Nation’s Identity As Much As Any War

That title is a quote from President Franjo Tudman, a man who probably has a pretty good idea of how wars shape a nations identity. He wrote a book on guerilla warfare and was pretty caught up in the demise of Yugolsavia and the formation of an independant Croatia, and yet he still said that. Having spent a large portion of last summer in and around former Yugolsavia chatting to the locals, I got the opinion that that Tudman fella might have a point.

Former Yugolsavs Serbia are looking pretty secure at the South Africa check in, with Bosnia and Croatia hoping for the playoffs. You wonder how much football could mean to people who have gone through so much in the past fifteen years or so. Tudman was right, it means a lot.

Bosnia came out of the Yugolsav war badly, completely divided along ethnic lines, officially between Bosniaks and Serbs, and just as obviously between the Bosniaks and Croats. In Mostar, a focal point of the troubles, the divides are none more obvious than with the city's football teams. Zrinjski, the Croats, moved into Mostar's main stadium after it came out of the conflict on the Croat side of the city. With Croat money from nearby Medjugorje (Jesus must support these guys) and the support of the large Croat population Zrinjski took their first Bosnian title last season. Velez, the Herzegovinians, homeless after the loss of their 25,000 seater home, moved to a somewhat smaller stadium on the East side of the Neretva river and suffered relegation. The Yugoslav cup winning days of the mid eighties long forgotten. They are back in the top league again now, finishing mid table last season.

The difference between these two sides reflects the situation at large. Bosnian Croat businesses taking money to Croatia, whilst Bosian Muslims make the best of things. We were told that the Croat controlled airport in Mostar was kept closed so any one wanting to fly in had to fly to Dubrovnik in Croatia. Out west towards Medjugorje town halls proudly displayed the Croatian tricolour, whilst the Bosniak flag on the adjacent poll was a tattered mess.

The national team is genuinely exciting; Dzeko is undoubtedly the star, with a supporting cast of Misimovic, Muslimovic and Ibsevic amongst other bright prospects, but it also has the capability to unite under the Bosnian flag, not that of Serbia or Croatia and give the people of this war torn country something to be proud of. The fact that Bosnia have rarely lost at their Bilino Polje stadium surely speaks volumes for the atmosphere that must be created inside. Led by a Bosnian Croat, the guy who led Croatia at France 98, the team that introduced me to how glorious football can be, and compromising players from all three ethnic groups, it seems like the country can finally get behind a successful team.

They have overcome a farce-laden, ''we don't need this Zlatan fellow to play for us", frequently protested against, plain incompetent federation, to be in with a their best chance of a big tournament since they missed out on Euro 04 by one goal. A win against Estonia, whom they beat 7-0, (seven!) in the return fixture should see them get Turkeys spot in the ''Blatter Playoffs of Preference' where they will undoubtedly be unseeded and in need of a minor miracle to overcome one of the prefered teams.

So yeah, Bosnia vs. Estonia is important. It might help shape a nations identity. Football is important yo.

That Zlatan guy was Mr Ibrahimovic by the way...