Edin Dzeko, 39, targets World Cup participation as he returns to Germany with Schalke.
GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany — Edin Dzeko has made his return to Germany, aiming to contribute more significantly to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s quest for a World Cup spot.
On Thursday, second-division Schalke secured the experienced forward from Italian club Fiorentina to enhance its chances of promotion. Dzeko will celebrate his 40th birthday in March.
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“We are acquiring a striker who has competed at the highest levels throughout his career. Our squad will gain from Edin’s leadership experience, along with his skills as a target man and goal-scorer,” stated Schalke sporting director Youri Mulder.
Dzeko aims to demonstrate his capabilities to earn a World Cup selection if Bosnia secures qualification. In the playoff matches scheduled for March, Bosnia will first take on Wales and then potentially face the winner of the match between Italy and Northern Ireland.
Dzeko holds the record as Bosnia’s all-time leading goal-scorer, with 72 goals from a total of 146 appearances.
Schalke announced the signing of Dzeko, who will don the No. 10 jersey, for the remaining 16 matches of the season.
Dzeko mentioned that he has been monitoring Schalke’s development since the club expressed interest in him.
“It’s quite remarkable how the team has progressed this season after facing some challenging years,” Dzeko remarked.
Schalke currently leads the German second division by four points over Elversberg and Darmstadt, with just over half the season completed. The team’s success has been attributed to a strong defensive performance. The bottom three teams have all managed to score more goals than Schalke.
Dzeko rose to prominence at Wolfsburg, where he played a key role in securing the Bundesliga title in 2010. He also achieved championship success with Manchester City (2012 and 2014) and Inter Milan (2022, 2023).
