Captain Edin Džeko and his teammates first celebrated at the stadium in Zenica, and then on the streets of Sarajevo, where thousands of citizens came out to mark the historic success.
The atmosphere in our country was also described by Sarajevo striker Aldin Turkeš, who during his career played for clubs such as Zürich, Vaduz, Lausanne-Sport, and Winterthur, and knows well how much such success means to the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
"There were a lot of emotions. I couldn't go to the stadium in Zenica due to training, so I watched the match at home and cheered. Bosnia and Herzegovina has many political problems, which is why this qualification for the World Cup is a huge success for the entire country," Turkeš said in an interview with SRF Sport.
According to him, the euphoria was felt even before the match itself.
"Thousands of fans welcomed the players in front of the stadium. There were many more people than the stadium could hold. After the match, the celebration continued; the square, which is five minutes from my house, was full, and the streets were closed. It was incredible."
The victory holds special significance because the opponent was powerful Italy.
"Italy is a great football nation. No one expected Bosnia and Herzegovina to advance, and that's precisely why everything is even bigger."
Speaking about expectations at the World Cup, Turkeš emphasizes that the national team has a clear goal.
"The goal is to advance to the next round. The Swiss national team is the favorite in the group, but the Dragons will seek their chance for second place."
Interestingly, in a potential duel between Bosnia and Switzerland, Turkeš admits he will have mixed emotions.
"I was born in Switzerland and built my career there. I will cheer for both teams, but Switzerland has given me everything; I feel like a Swiss."
However, his club situation is currently not ideal. After a good first season in Sarajevo, things changed.
"Last summer, I wanted to return to Switzerland; I had several offers. However, the club president, Ismir Mirvić, decided I should stay. Several coaches changed, and the new technical staff no longer counted on me. I don't know why; I train well and am ready."
He adds that in the meantime, he had a brief episode in Dubai but returned to Sarajevo again.
"I hope to find a new club this summer. Returning to Switzerland is one of the options. If everything goes well, I will soon know where I continue my career."
Turkeš played for the Swiss U18, U19, and U20 national teams, as well as the Bosnia and Herzegovina U21 national team, for which he played one match and scored one goal.