Ryan Williams and Esmir Bajraktarević are separated by age but united by a lot more. Wide forwards, they have represented the country of their birth but it is in the land of their ancestors that they have made a name.
Against Hong Kong, Ryan Williams needed four minutes to make history for India. Esmir Bajraktarević’s moment arrived after more than two hours and six penalty kicks could not separate Italy and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Williams jumped and punched the air before disappearing into a huddle of blue. He had taken a giant leap of faith nearly two years ago when he decided to become an Indian citizen. It required navigating a process heavy on bureaucracy in an unfamiliar country. It required not giving up. Fortunately for him, that is a character trait, Williams had told Hindustan Times one day before his debut finally came through.
As Bajraktarević’s shot squirmed under Gianluigi Donnarumma, he ran towards the fans in Zenica. As his teammates ran in, goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj first because he was the closest, Bajraktarević removed his shirt, turned it around and held it for a stadium that—as Eduardo Galeano has written in Football In Sun And Shadow—forgot it was made of concrete, broke free of the earth and flew through the air. The crest in front is more important than the name at the back but exceptions can be made if it ends a 12-year wait for a World Cup berth.
Forging a Connection
Williams, 32, began his international career with Australia (vs South Korea), and Bajraktarević, 21, with the US (vs Slovenia). Both played once in international friendlies. Had he not moved to Bengaluru FC, Williams maybe wouldn’t have researched ways to get an Indian passport based on his mother’s ancestry.
For Bajraktarević, the choice, possibly, was easier. His family had fled a genocide in 1995, and when Bosnia and Herzegovina—a country born out of a conflict—called him, he said yes.
And so, in different time zones, continents and qualifying competitions, a connection was forged. In a narrative dominated by clubs, international football is like an em dash, a break in thought. But stories like those of Williams and Bajraktarević help us understand that while elite club football is sophisticated and the UEFA Champions League is the most difficult to win, the men’s world cup is football’s most popular tournament.
That explains why Bosnia and Herzegovina head coach Sergej Barbarez was visibly emotional speaking about their first match, why DR Congo declared a national holiday on Wednesday and why VfB Stuttgart striker Ermedin Demirovic said he would buy drinks for all the club’s fans.
Too much focus on tactics: Igor Stimac
To the World Cup, Italy will not be going. To them goes the unique distinction of former champions who have failed to qualify three times.
Former players have weighed in on young players not being allowed to grow (but Donnarumma wasn’t even 16 when he started and Pio Esposito, 18), head coach Gennaro Gattuso’s selection has been questioned, Francesco Totti has spoken of the tunnel vision of his generation, and social media has woken up to Roberto Baggio’s 900-page dossier after the 2010 finals.
“Italy didn’t find a way to respond to pressure from Bosnians,” Igor Stimac said when I asked him for his thoughts. The former India coach and World Cup bronze medallist is in charge of HSK Zrinjski Mostar—the defending champions in the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“Instead of simplifying the beautiful game and developing the talent they have, there’s too much focus on tactics. The charm has gone out of their football.”
Yet, not long ago, Italy were champions of Europe and on a 37-match unbeaten streak that stretched for three years. A number of players in Zenica on Tuesday were part of the squad that conquered a continent in 2021. So, maybe, there are no easy answers here. Maybe, Italy failed to shed the baggage of not having qualified in 2018 and 2022. Maybe, that is why Alessandro Bastoni, said to be on Barcelona’s radar, did what he did. “It’s like we are not ready for a big match,” a fan told AP.
The scale and scope are different, the importance of football too, but after failed qualification bids, India and Italy will have to, in Donnarumma’s words start anew. “We must find the courage to turn the page once again,” he said. For India, it will mean using all the international windows and working out the league schedule in a way that clubs do not mind releasing national team players for training camps. After calls for resignations have been answered or ignored, Italy will have the Nations League to show the world that rock bottom has been hit.
