Edin Dzeko Returns to Germany with Schalke to Pursue World Cup Dream

GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany — Edin Dzeko has made his return to Germany, where he aims to play a pivotal role in helping Bosnia and Herzegovina secure a spot in the upcoming World Cup.

On Thursday, second-division club Schalke announced the signing of the seasoned forward from Italian side Fiorentina, in hopes of bolstering their chances for promotion. Dzeko, who will turn 40 in March, brings a wealth of experience to the team.

“We are acquiring a striker who has competed at the highest level throughout his career. Our squad will greatly benefit from Edin’s leadership and his abilities as both a target man and a goal-scorer,” commented Schalke’s sporting director, Youri Mulder.

Dzeko is keen to demonstrate his skills and potentially earn a call-up for the World Cup, should Bosnia qualify. They will face Wales in the playoff matches this March, followed by a possible encounter with either Italy or Northern Ireland.

As Bosnia’s all-time leading goal-scorer, with an impressive tally of 72 goals from 146 appearances, Dzeko’s contributions are invaluable. Schalke confirmed that he will wear the number 10 shirt for the remaining 16 matches of the season.

Expressing his enthusiasm, Dzeko stated, “I have been closely following Schalke’s progress since the club expressed their interest. It is truly impressive to see how the team has developed this season, especially after facing some challenging years.”

Currently, Schalke leads the German second division, holding a four-point advantage over Elversberg and Darmstadt with more than half of the season completed. The team’s success is attributed to a strong defensive strategy; notably, the bottom three teams in the division have outscored Schalke.

Dzeko first gained prominence at Wolfsburg, where he played a crucial role in securing the Bundesliga title in 2010. He further celebrated championship victories with Manchester City in 2012 and 2014, and with Inter Milan in 2022 and 2023.