Dzeko to retire from Bosnia duty after Sweden match

Bosnia and Herzegovina captain Edin Dzeko announced on Thursday that he will retire from international football after his final match for the national team on October 2 against Sweden in the UEFA Nations League. The 40-year-old forward, who currently plays for Schalke 04 in the German Bundesliga, confirmed the decision in an emotional statement on social media, bringing a close to a nearly two-decade international career. Dzeko, who made his debut for Bosnia in June 2007 against Turkey, is the country's all-time leading scorer and most-capped player, with 73 goals in 151 appearances. He has been the team's captain since 2014. In his announcement, he reflected on the pride he felt representing his nation. "Nothing in my career has ever compared to the pride I have felt every single time I wore that shirt," Dzeko wrote. "If I have made it to the age of 40 with the national team, it is because I truly gave everything I had. Every time. Everything." The veteran striker was instrumental in leading Bosnia to their first-ever World Cup appearance in 2014.