Football and the World Cup Bring Together Bosnia & Herzegovina - by Frances

Bosnia and Herzegovina will enter the World Cup draw soon, and the whole country is exhilarated, and has been that way ever since Vedad Ibisevic qualified them by scoring a goal against Lithuania. That night, the team was welcomed by over 50,000 people welcomed the players for a parade in Sarajevo, the nation's capital. This is especially special because the country has been in recovery from what is considered the longest siege in modern history for a long time. It is the poorest country in Europe, and unemployment is at 44.5% It has also been divided for a long time, too. Bosnia and Herzegovina's football (soccer) team has been trying very hard for years to be recognized by Fifa and Uefa, which they finally might have done. The team now plays in the best leagues in Europe. Though it may not be able to replace or solve the country's problems, it unites the people and gives them a short moment to forget them and instead focus on national pride, something that has been long overdue.

The author of this article seems to dote very favourably on this achievement, though I can't blame him/her. In a country who's ethnic tensions have led to an attempt of ethnic cleansing (as we learned from the textbook) and even war, it's great to be able to find a common ground. This kind of reminds me of the movie "Invictus" and what Nelson Mandela did with the South African rugby team; he made them a pride of the nation to bring people together and make the country stronger, which it did in the end when they won the World Cup in 1995. Maybe Bosnia and Herzegovina will have that same success, but even if they don't, just qualifying for the World Cup must have been wonderful. The main idea the writer presented was that life in the country is still a struggle, and football can never be the ultimate solution, though it can make people forget their problems and draw out their emotions. I agree greatly with him, though I believe that this will do more for the country than just briefly lift their spirits. I could be a step in the right direction to peace and a better life.

Source: http://www.balkanchronicle.com/index.php/home/news/buletin-board/bc-special/3095-bosnia-and-herzegovina-unite-behind-their-world-cup-bound-football-heroes