Edin Dzeko

At 38 years old, Edin Dzeko has this physical status:

Edin Deko (born 17 March 1986) is a Bosnian professional footballer who plays for Serie A club Roma and the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team, both for which he is captain. For three years in a row, he has been named Bosnian Footballer of the Year.

Football supporters and journalists in Bosnia and Herzegovina have dubbed him "Bosnian Diamond" or simply "Diamond" (Bosnian: "Bosanski Dijamant" or "Dijamant) by him.

He played for Manchester City before joining Roma, but he made a name for himself while playing for German club VfL Wolfsburg, with whom he won the Bundesliga in the 2008–09 season.

With 26 goals, he was second-highest goalscorer in the country.

Deko was the top scorer with 22 goals in the 2009-10 season.

In both seasons, he has also had ten assists. Deko scored four goals in a game for Manchester City against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane in the 2011-12 Premier League season.

He scored an equalizer against Queens Park Rangers in the 92nd minute before Sergio Agüero won the match for the first time in 44 years.

He later said that the goal was one of his career's most significant.

Deko scored his 50th league goal for Roma on March 3rd, becoming Europe's first player to score 50 goals in three of Europe's top five major leagues.

Deko scored a hat-trick over Liechtenstein's highest Bosnia and Herzegovina goalcorer of all time on September 7, 2012, defeating Zvjezdan Misimovic and Elvir Bolic.

In a game against Austria on September 11, he played his 95th game for Bosnia and Herzegovina and beat Emir Spahic to become the country's mostcapped player.

His ten goals in qualifying helped his national team qualify for its first international tournament, the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Personal life

At that time, Deko was born in Sarajevo, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, to Midhat and Belma Deko. He said that his family had always been helpful throughout his career, particularly his father, who took him to training sessions when he was in eljezniar. His father played competitively in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In Sarajevo, Deko is known as a local celebrity.

Deko is multilingual, fluent in five languages: Bosnian, Czech, German, English, and Italian. He is a Muslim with dual citizenship in Bosnia, Herzegovina, and Croatia. Deko said that Milan has always been his favorite team, with Andriy Shevchenko his favorite player. He still has a Milan jersey with the number 7 (worn by Shevchenko while playing for the club) on the wall in his house in Sarajevo. Deko is the first cousin of former national team player and former captain Emir Spahi.

Deko became Bosnia's first UNICEF ambassador in November 2009. Since being wounded by the Bosnian War, he has been to schools and children in his home country. Deko was accepted to the University of Sarajevo on July 6, 2012, to study sport and physical education. Deko earned a bachelor's degree on September 10, 2018.

He has been in a relationship with model and actress Amra Silajdy since 2011, marrying her in 2014. He became a father of a girl named Una in February 2016. Dani, Dani's second child, was born on September 9, 2017. On Instagram, the couple revealed that they are expecting their third child, a baby girl. The couple welcomed their third child, Dalia, on September 12, 2020.

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Club career

Deko began his career as a midfielder between 2003 and 2005, but he had no success in that position. He was widely believed to be too tall and with no technical skills. Ji' Plek, Deko's coach at the time, understood his talent, but Teplice's coach, who returned home, told Teplice not to buy him. "We" thought we had won the lottery," eljezniar's chief said years later.

In 2005, Deko had a loan spell with St. nad Labem, scoring six goals in 15 games. Later that year, he returned to Teplice and remained there until 2007. He was the second-top goalscorer of the Czech League in 2006–07 season, with 13 goals in 30 games. Felix Magath, the VfL Wolfsburg manager, has been paid €4 million due to his appearances.

In his first 11 games, Deko scored five goals and three assists: Sportal named him as the best striker in the first half of the 2007–08 Bundesliga season. Wolfsburg finished fifth place in Germany's first season, qualifying for a UEFA Cup spot for the following season. Deko played in 17 games from 2007 to 2008.

Deko's results increased dramatically after Wolfsburg acquired fellow Bosnian international Zvjezdan Misimovi in July 2008. Deko scored five goals and seven assists in the first half of the 2008–09 Bundesliga season, but after the winter break, he added 21 goals and three more assists. This upturn was particularly apparent during their ten-game winning streak, from 7 February to April 26, in which he scored 11 goals and added an assist. In May 2009, Deko scored a hat-trick against Hoffenheim and repeated the feat two weeks later against Hannover 96, scoring 26 goals and 10 assists in 32 league matches. With his second goal, he tied for second in Bundesliga history; Misimovi, the team's top assist and key pass provider, snapped his first Bundesliga record for assists by setting up 20 goals; the three players' main assist and key pass provider; and he was named "the magic triangle." Wolfsburg finished the season as Bundesliga champions for the first time in the club's history; they finished two points ahead of Bayern Munich in a crucial match on the 26th matchday, which saw them score two goals each, as the team's second and fifth with a memorable dribble and backheel). Wolfsburg, who was third in third at the start of the day, took the table for the first time and stayed in that position for the remainder of the season.

Deko scored six goals in two games in two games, and in the UEFA Cup, four goals and two assists in eight matches were recorded. Because of his efforts, he was named as the Bundesliga Players' Footballer of the Year award. Despite being piqued by A.C. Milan Deko's interest, he decided to remain, extending his deal until June 2013.

In a 2–1 loss at Old Trafford on September 30, he scored his first UEFA Champions League goal against Manchester United. He was one of 30 people chosen for the 2009 Ballon d'Or. With 22 goals, he was the Bundesliga's top scorer in the 2009–10 season.

Deko made the most outstanding league scorer in Wolfsburg's history on August 28, 2010, defeating Diego Klimowicz who scored 57 goals in 149 games. Deko had scored ten goals in 17 matches during the 2010–11 Bundesliga season's winter break.

After heavy rumors, Roberto Mancini, City's chief, reported on Monday that a fee of £27 million (€32 million) had been agreed with Wolfsburg for Deko, the city's second highest transfer figure after Robinho's £32.5 million (€42.5 million) transfer from Real Madrid in 2008. At the time, the transfer fee was the sixth highest in the Premier League. In addition, the sum surpassed the Bundesliga's record departure fee, Bosnian record transfer fee, as well as one of any player from former Yugoslavia at the time. The previous ex-Yugoslav record stood for more than a decade – Real Madrid's transfer fee to Fenerbahçe for Elvir Balji (1999) was more than ten years (€26 million). He signed a new four-year deal with the club in August 2014, bringing his overall deal up to 2018.

Following his medical examination in London, he travelled to Manchester on January 5th and was confirmed as a Manchester City player on January 7th, joining the club on a four-and-a-half-year contract.

In a 4–3 victory over Wolverham Wanderers on January 15, he made his debut for the club, setting up Yaya Touré for the third goal of the match. Deko scored equalising goals in Manchester City's fourth round match against Notts County, which resulted in a 1–1 draw. Deko scored once more in the replay on February 20th, assisting Manchester City in advancing to the next round with a 5–0 score. At the Etihad Stadium in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League's second leg on February 24, 2011, Deko scored twice against Aris Thessaloniki within four and a half minutes.

Deko scored his first Premier League goal against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on April 25, 2011. In a 1–0 win for Manchester City, this was the only goal of the game.

On the final day of the season, his last goal was against Bolton Wanderers, guaranteeing City third place in the Premier League over Arsenal and automatic qualification for the 2011–12 Champions League group stage.

Deko was an ineffective substitute in Manchester City's 1–0 win over Stoke City in the 2011 FA Cup Final, winning his first trophy with the club on May 14th.

In a 2–3 loss to Manchester United in the FA Community Shield, Deko began his second season with the team's second goal. Deko scored four goals against Tottenham in his third Premier League game of the season. Deko set a new record in this game by becoming the first Manchester City player to score four goals in a Premier League match. For August, his tally of six league goals in three games earned him the Premier League Player of the Month award.

He scored some key goals, including a header against Wigan Athletic that extended their lead over title rivals Manchester United to three points and extended their advantage over Porto, who beat them 6–1 on aggregate, as Manchester City defeated Porto in the Europa League. He also scored a headed goal against Blackburn Rovers, which brought Manchester City 3–0 up, and sealed the match, but the game was still tied by a slim two-point margin over Manchester United.

Safet Sut Sui, Bosnia and Herzegovina's national manager, pleaded with Deko to leave the city at the end of the season due to a lack of first-team football, as well as Juventus and Bayern Munich. Deko scored in the 92nd minute to beat Queens Park Rangers 3–2 for the Premier League championship, the club's first in 44 years. Following his goal that helped win the championship, his 19th goal and 40th appearance in all leagues, Deko's rep denied reports that the striker would leave City, citing pure speculation.

Deko started the 2012–13 season with an equalizing goal against Southampton in a 3–2 victory. He scored another goal against Queens Park Rangers, raising his total number to two goals in the first three games. He scored the first goal of City's Champions League campaign against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu. He scored an 87th-minute winner against Fulham on September 29, just one minute after being a replacement. He came off the bench in the 79th minute to score a minute later on October 20th. City beat West Bromwich 2-0 on stoppage time, with him scoring his second goal two minutes before stoppage time. In the 88th minute against Tottenham Hotspur, Deko scored another late winning goal as a replacement with a left-footed volley. In a 4–3 victory over Norwich City on December 29, 2012, he scored two goals against them.

He had 14 goals in the Premier League and 15 overall, and 15 overall.

Deko was selected by new owner Manuel Pellegrini against Newcastle United at the City of Manchester Stadium on the first day of the 2013-14 Premier League season. In a 3–2 loss at Cardiff City, he scored his first goal. With just one goal of the game against Crystal Palace on December 28, 2013, Deko scored his 50th goal in England.

In a 3–0 Manchester Derby victory over Manchester United on March 25, Deko scored twice. His first goal came in just 43 seconds, making it the fastest away goal scored at Old Trafford in Premier League history. He scored City's first goal of a 2–0 loss at Selhurst Park on Saturday, closing the gap on league leaders Liverpool to three points with a game in hand.

In City's match against Everton on May 3rd, he scored a brace, leading to a 3–2 victory and lifting the team to the top of the table with two matches remaining. Man City's 150th goal in all competitions was his second goal of the season. Deko scored two second-half goals as City defeated Aston Villa 4–0 on Sunday, securing the club's title as champions with a draw against West Ham United at home on the final day, which City then won.

In a 2–0 loss of Newcastle United on August 17, Deko assisted David Silva for Manchester City's first goal of the 2014-15 season. Deko agreed to a new four-year contract with the club on August 20th, tying him to Manchester City until 2018.

Manchester City defeated Sheffield 7–0 in the third round of the Football League Cup on September 24th, Deko's first two goals of the season. In Manchester City's 4–2 victory over Hull City on September 27, he scored twice for his first goals of the Premier League season.

Deko ended a string of 15 matches without a goal by scoring Manchester City's third goal in a 5–0 home win over Newcastle United on February 21, 2015.

Deko officially signed for Serie A outfit Roma on August 12th, 2015, after months of rumors that the 2015 summer transfer market had sparked, with a €4 million loan that would become mandatory after certain success related goals were achieved. These clauses were activated on October 1, making Deko a permanent member of Roma.

He made his Serie A debut ten days after his release from Manchester City, playing the entire of a 1–1 draw at Hellas Verona, and scoring in his second game on August 30th minute defeating reigning champions Juventus 2–1 at the Stadio Olimpico. He scored his first brace for Roma on February 21, 2016, scoring the first and last goals in a 5–0 victory over Palermo.

Deko's first season with the club, in which he scored only 8 Serie A and 10 goals in all competitions for Roma, began in 2016, equaling Gabriel Batistuta's debut in which he defeated Roma in the league championship, in which he won the league title. In a 4–1 victory over Viktoria Plze on November 24, he scored a hat-trick in the Europa League on November 24, 2016. He also scored a hat-trick in the first leg of a Europa League match against Villarreal on February 16, 2017, which Roma beat 4–0. He was the fourth Roma player to reach 30 goals in all competitions in a season on March 12th.

Deko became the first Roma player to reach 33 goals in a season in all competitions on April 1, 2017, surpassing Rodolfo Volk and Francesco Totti's previous record of 32 goals jointly held. He ended the season with 39 goals in all competitions, of which 29 goals in Serie A made him the first Bosnian player to do so.

Deko scored six goals in first five league games in his third season with the Roman club. On August 26, 2017, Roma lost 1–3. He scored his first goal of the season against Inter Milan on Sunday. He scored two braces against Verona and Benevento in the next two games. In a 2–0 victory over San Siro, he continued his goalscoring form by opening the scoring against A.C. Milan on October 1st.

Deko was one of 30 people to be nominated for the Ballon D'Or 2017 award by French newspaper France Football on October 9th.

Deko's brace against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on 19 October was enough to inspire him. The game ended in a 3–3 draw. His next big game of the season came against Napoli, where he scored a brace and aided his team in defeat by 4–2.

With his winning goal over Shakhtar Donetsk, Deko helped Roma reach the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. Deko was instrumental in Roma's qualification to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals, the first in over 30 years. In both quarter-final legs against Barcelona, the Roma won on away goals. Deko scored in both legs in the semi-finals, but it wasn't enough, as Roma were eventually defeated by Liverpool 6–7 on aggregate.

Deko scored 24 goals in Serie A, 16 of which he scored in Serie A, making him the club's top goalscorer and joint sixth overall. He also scored 8 goals in Champions League, putting him as the game's fifth best goalscorer.

Deko started his fourth season with Roma by scoring a winning goal against Torino on August 19th. On October 2nd, Deko earned his first UEFA Champions League hat-trick when he put three past Viktoria Plze once more in the 2018-19 UEFA Champions League group stage. He was the first Bosnian to score a hat-trick in the top European club championships.

Roma beat Udinese in the 68th minute on April 13, 2019, scoring his 8th goal in the league against them in the 68th minute. In a 2–0 home victory over Juventus in the 90+3rd minute, he scored his ninth league goal for Roma on May 12, 2019, marking his 9th league victory in the 90th minute.

Deko's contract with Roma lasted until June 2022, Deko's earliest season in the 2019-2022 season, until June 2022. In a 3–3 home league draw against Genoa on August 25, he scored his first official goal for the club in the new season. In Roma's 1–2 away league victory over Bologna on September 22, Deko scored a 93rd minute goal.

Deko fractured his zygomatic bone (cheekbone), requiring surgery and then wearing a protective mask in some of his first games after the recuperation. In Roma's 2–1 home league victory over Milan on October 27, he scored his 5th goal of the season. Deko scored in a UEFA Europa League game against Wolfsberg on December 12, 2019, which Roma lost 22-02, helping his team qualify for the UEFA Europa League season's last 16 games.

In Roma's 3–1 home league victory over S.P.A.L., he made his 200th appearance for the club. On December 15, 2019.

Deko joined Inter Milan on August 14 but before being named in the starting lineup, he played a friendly match against Ukrainian club Dynamo Kyiv, scoring his team's second goal in his team's second home win, as a result. Inter announced that he had signed a two-year contract later that day. In a 4–0 victory over Genoa, he scored his first goal for the club.

International career

Deko's first appearance for his home country was with the Bosnia and Herzegovina national under-19 football team. He was also a member of the Under-21 team, which was also a member of the Netherlands' Under-21 Championships in 2007. Armenia under-21 and Norway under 21 were among Bosnia's first challenges in this competition. They defeated Armenia 3–2 and drew with Norway 1–1, qualifying for the playoff against the Czech Republic under 21. Bosnia defeated 2–1 in the first leg; in the second, the game was drawn 1–1. In the tournament, Deko scored one goal.

On June 2, 2007, he made his senior debut against Turkey. It was a memorable debut for the player, scoring a volleyed goal during the first half stoppage time. Bosnia won 3–2 after the goal levelled the score at 2–2, and Bosnia advanced to victory 3–2.

During a game against Belgium in Genk on March 28, 2009, Bosnian sports commentator Marjan Mijajlovi announced Deko "the Bosnian Diamond" -- a remarkable feat.

In 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification, he scored nine goals and finished as the second highest goalscorer, behind England's Wayne Rooney and second in fifth place, behind Greek striker Theofanis Gekas' ten goals.

Deko scored his first hat-trick for the national team on September 8, 2012, beating Liechtenstein 8–1, while simultaneously becoming the nation's top goal scorer with 24 goals. Elvir Boli, who scored 22 goals, previously held the record.

Bosnia and Herzegovina qualified for the first major tournament in its history, with Deko ending their 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign as the second-best scorer with ten goals.

In June 2014, Deko was selected in the Bosnian squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He made his debut in the team's first group match, a close loss to Argentina at the Maracan Stadium. Bosnia and Herzegovina defeated Iran on June 25 in their first group match against Iran, with the team already defeated.

Following Emir Spahi's departure from the international team, boss Safet Sui appointed Deko as the new captain in August.

Deko scored all of the goals in a 3–0 away victory over Andorra in UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying, their first victory in five games of the qualification season, on March 28, 2015.

Deko had an altercation in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Greece, with Greek player Kyriakos Papadopoulos, who pulled down Sokratis Papastathopoulos' shorts while trying to get the ball on Friday. Both Deko and Papadopoulos were disqualified during the following match between the two teams. It was his first red card in the national jersey.

Deko became the first Bosnian player to score 50 international goals on March 28, 2017.

In a 2–1 victory over Armenia in the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifiers on March 23, he made his 100th appearance for Bosnia in his 100th appearance for the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifiers.

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