In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Emir Spahic is hold in a tip regard. The devoted defender is worshiped as a essence of bravery and fighting spirit, virtues that have prolonged given determined him as a tie in a inhabitant team. Indeed, with 93 caps to his name, a talismanic captain binds his country’s record for a many general appearances. Simply put, Emir Spahic is a Bosnian legend.
But he is not a usually one. For there is another Spahic who enjoys a identical standing among her peers in a women’s game.
Born in 1983, Amira Spahic is 3 years younger than Emir, though a similarities that have been drawn between a span extend distant over their surnames. They wear a same shirt series and play in a same position, in further to pity a singular standing of being both their country’s captain and many capped player. And, nonetheless not associated in any way, a special bond has evidently shaped between these dual Bosnian football icons.
We’re both warriors. We give a hearts and souls for a inhabitant jersey.
“He’s my purpose model,†a SFK 2000 Sarajevo centre-back explained to FIFA.com. “He’s a best defender a inhabitant group has ever had. He plays with his heart, with guts. He would give all for his country. I’m a fan of him, both as a actor and as a person. I’ve had a honour of assembly him usually once, in Sarajevo, when a inhabitant group were personification Turkey. It’s a memory that we still cherish.â€
Just like Emir, who became a initial actor to captain his nation during a vital general tournament, Amira is certain to go down in a story books of Bosnian football. Since creation her general entrance during usually 16 years of age, she has played an critical purpose in her team’s solid climb adult a FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking. When she became captain, Bosnia and Herzegovina assigned a squalid 95th position. Eight years down a line and a group are on a verge of violation into a tip 60 in a world.
“I’m unequivocally unapproachable to have played a partial in this development,†she enthused. “Women’s football has come on leaps and end in Bosnia and Herzegovina, usually as it has in many other European countries. we don’t consider we’re distant off a tip nations in Europe any more. In any case, we’re operative unequivocally tough to tighten that gap, and it’s removing narrower and narrower.â€
Stepping aside for a youngsters, embracing greatness
Until now, Spahic’s Bosnia and Herzegovina group have not managed to validate for a vital general tournament. That could all be about to change, however, with a group occupying joint-second place in Group 1 following a earnest start to their gift debate for a FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™. They now lay turn on points with England, their opponents on 24 November, and a indicate behind Wales, who they are due to take on 4 days later.
Bh seniorke poÄele pripreme za susrete sa Engleskom i Velsom!https://t.co/DXG0f9ijyT pic.twitter.com/RkGpLhuEJF
— NFS BIH (@NFSBiH) November 20, 2017
“Qualification is now a picturesque design for us. We might still have a immature team, though a destiny is bright,†celebrated Spahic, rather of an elder politician in a inhabitant group with an normal age of usually 23 years. “I like this team. There’s a mutual honour between a younger players and myself. They know that they can count on me. For my part, we try to pull on all my knowledge to assistance them as most as we can. we devise on fulfilling this purpose for another dual or 3 years, and afterwards I‘ll step aside for a youngsters once and for all!â€
Whenever that impulse comes, she can rest positive that a place has already been indifferent for her during a tip list of her nation’s biggest footballers. And naturally enough, she will have honour of place in a chair directly alongside her namesake.
Article source: http://www.fifa.com/womensworldcup/news/y=2017/m=11/news=spahic-shared-name-shared-passion-2921063.html