How a Bosnian Ball Boy Powered Bosnia’s Beat Italy in Historic World Cup Qualifier

Rabat – Bosnia and Herzegovina’s dramatic win over Italy in the 2026 World Cup play‑off will be remembered for more than just the penalty shootout. 

On a night when the four‑time world champions were eliminated, a 14‑year‑old ball boy became the unexpected hero of an entire nation.

His name is Avan Cizmic, a youth player at local club Nik Celic. He was not part of coach Sergej Barbarez’s squad, but his actions from the sidelines changed the course of history. 

During the tense shootout, Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma relied on a “cheat sheet,” a small note detailing Bosnia’s penalty takers. In the chaos, Cizmic spotted the paper near Donnarumma’s towel, grabbed it, and hid it.

Speaking later to Bosnian television, Cizmic explained: “I saw the piece of paper and immediately realised what it was. I took it and kept it hidden. Without it, Donnarumma had no information about our players.”

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The Italian goalkeeper realised the sheet was missing. Frustrated, he searched for it but could not find it. 

What followed was decisive: Donnarumma failed to save a single penalty, and Bosnia converted all their shots to secure qualification for their first World Cup since 2014.

Bosnia’s goalkeeper, Nikola Vasili, who plays for St. Pauli, revealed that Donnarumma had earlier tried to destroy his own notes on Italian penalty takers. “Luckily, we had prepared a photocopy,” Vasili said. 

But the real turning point came from the young ball boy’s intervention.

The story spread rapidly across social media, with fans hailing Cizmic as a national icon. Memes, tributes, and messages of thanks flooded platforms, celebrating the teenager who outsmarted one of the world’s most famous goalkeepers.

Cizmic returned home two days later carrying the stolen cheat sheet. He told local media he plans to auction the note and donate the proceeds to charity, turning his moment of fame into a gesture of goodwill.

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