Afan Cizmic, a 14-year-old ball boy in the Bosnia vs Italy World Cup qualifying final, took away the goalkeeper’s notes. Published On 9 Apr 20269 Apr 2026A week after Bosnia and Herzegovina booked a place in the FIFA World Cup with a dramatic penalty shootout win over Italy, a 14-year-old ball boy has stolen the limelight in the Balkan nation.Afan Cizmic was among the dozens of ball boys deployed at the Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica for the UEFA playoff final on March 31, when Bosnia hosted the four-time champions for a place in the World Cup 2026.But he now stands out as an unlikely hero after hiding Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma’s penalty shootout notes just before the spot kicks were taken.Cizmic, positioned on the sidelines before the shootout, noticed Donnarumma reading from a piece of paper tucked behind a towel. Realising it contained information on Bosnian penalty takers, he took the note and ran away from the goal.When the shootout got under way, Donnarumma failed to save any of the four penalties he faced, and his teammates missed three of theirs, handing Bosnia a place in the global showpiece. Gianluigi Donnarumma watches in despair after Bosnia defeated Italy at the Bilino-Polje Stadium in Zenica [File: Elvis Barukcic/AFP]Whether Cizmic’s little trick played a role in the final scoreline remains unknown, but the teenage boy is being hailed as a hero in Bosnia, with fans urging the national team to take him along to the World Cup.Cizmic has been called on to football shows, interviewed by international media, and photographed at the venue where Bosnia created history by ensuring Italy became the only former champions to miss their third World Cup in a row. Advertisement Recalling the moment he saw the paper, Cizmic says that he hesitated at first but ultimately decided to act on his instinct.“I saw where he left the pa …
