How Wisconsin’s ‘Milwaukee Messi’ Led Bosnia And Herzegovina To The World Cup

Before he became a hero for an unlikely World Cup team that knocked out a historic powerhouse, Esmir Bajraktarević was a kid from a small Midwestern town. Bajraktarević, who picked up the nickname “Milwaukee Messi” along his journey, etched his name in lore back in March for Bosnia and Herzegovina by eliminating Italy from contention for this summer’s tournament. Bajraktarević may not have grown up in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but the 21-year-old was raised eating borek (a savory, flaky pastry filled with cheese, spinach or meat) and cevapi (sausages made of minced meat). He was brought up understanding the struggles of his parents who escaped a war-torn country to settle in Appleton, Wisconsin, which has a population of 75,000. He spoke Bosnian and listened to Bosnian music at home, and loved to play soccer in the backyard with his brother. They practiced penalty kicks every day, usually imagining German legend Manuel Neuer in goal. Bajraktarevic dreamed of scoring in the World Cup. It’s why, as he stepped up to take up the decisive penalty against the Azzurri on a chilly night in the Bosnian town of Zenica and a World Cup spot on the line — with one of his childhood idols in Edin Dzeko standing mere yards behind him — Bajraktarević was up for the moment. “Here it is,” Bajraktarević told himself, “I can win it.” And so he drilled a left-footed shot under the diving Italian captain and Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. As the ball hit the bottom left corner of the net, the PSV Eindhoven winger ran toward supporters in the stands, tore off his shirt and held it up proudly in front of a roaring crowd. “It’s one of the best feelings I’ve ever had in my life,” Bajraktarević told me about the moment, before joking that he knows there’s a video clip somewhere of him crying. “It was like a dream come true. It sounds [cheesy], but that’s the only way I can explain it.” Bajraktarević’s penalty kick meant Italy would miss a third straight World Cup, and it placed Bosnia and Herzegovina in a winnable Group B alongside co-hosts Canada, as well as Qatar and Switzerland. This summer, Bajraktarević will return home to the United States to play in a World Cup in front of family and friends. He played for the U.S. youth national teams and made his senior team debut in January 2024 under Gregg Berhalter. Later that year, however, he made the difficult decision to switch affiliations and represent Bosnia and Herzegovina instead. U.S. Soccer tried to keep him, but in the end, the tug of his heritage was too strong. “This was something that I was dreaming about since I was a kid, representing your country at the highest level,” Bajraktarević added. “The opportunity was there, and I just chose to go. I didn’t compare the two [national teams]. It was just, Bosnia called, and it was really special for me.” ‘Esmir Is Really Effing Good’ Bajraktarević grew up playing and watching a lot of soccer and with his brother, Osman. Their dad, Elmir, might have had a chance to play professionally had it not been for the Bosnian War from 1992 to 1995. “It’s really all I knew since I was a baby,” Bajraktarević said. He never rooted for a specific team, he said, but his favorite players were Cristiano Ronaldo and Dzeko, the Bosnian veteran who has taken the youngster under his wing since joining the national team. “It’s unreal,” Bajraktarević said, smiling while talking about the footballing icon. “I don’t even have words to describe it. Now he’s like one of my friends, which is crazy.” Bajraktarević’s youth soccer career started 100 miles south of Appleton in Milwaukee, and in Chicago, before he was discovered by New England Revolution brass. When he was 16, he was recruited to play for the MLS club’s academy team and moved from Wisconsin to Massachusetts. Leaving home was rough at first, and Bajraktarević cried a lot. His mom used to send care packages with bananica, a chocolate-covered banana candy that’s popular in Southeastern Europe, which reminded him of home. Eventually, he made friends, got used to a routine and started showing his stuff on the field. His rise through the Revs’ system was quick. On his first day with the academy team, the teenager turned heads, forcing then-technical director Curt Onalfo to say, “We’ve got to get him with the second team.” So he signed a contract with the second team (which plays in MLS Next Pro), and within a year, Onalfo said they ripped it up and signed him to the first team (which plays in MLS). Bajraktarević eventually became the first player from the Revolution’s academy residency program to ascend to the first-team roster. Onalfo, now the Revs sporting director, said it wasn’t hard to know that Bajraktarević was ready. “If you were to come and watch our second team play, you would be like, ‘Oh wow, Esmir is really effing good,’” Onalfo told me. “He’s got exceptional technique. A mastery of the ball that is better than most people. So that, in itself, gives you a really good chance because technically, you’re more advanced than many of the players.” Bruce Arena, the former U.S. men’s national team coach who coached Bajraktarević while with the Revolution, remembers having a similar gut feeling. “He caught our attention by the quality that he demonstrated,” Arena told me. “He’s technically good, good at passing the ball, he can take players on and shoot well from distance. … I think there’s a lot ahead for him.” Origin Of A Unique Nickname Bajraktarević developed and improved over the course of five years within the Revs’ system. In fact, he was so impactful that somewhere along the way, teammates started calling him the “Milwaukee Messi.” The nickname became popular, mostly in the media, and was referenced when he made the critical penalty against Italy. “I mean, [Messi] is one of the greatest of all time,” Bajraktarević said with a chuckle. He’ll never forget the one time he shared a field with World Cup-winning Argentina superstar. On Oct. 19, 2024, the Revs visited Messi and Inter Miami. Coming on as a second-half sub, Messi promptly scored a hat trick. “He walked by me, and I was looking at him,” Bajraktarević recalled. “It was surreal.” But Bajraktarević was just fine making a name for himself. He made 45 appearances in MLS, including 28 starts with three goals and three assists across the 2022-24 seasons. “I was playing with men at 16, 17 years old, so it was really a good opportunity for me just to mature and get better,” he said. Bajraktarević eventually transferred to PSV in Jan. 2025 and has helped the Dutch club win two Eredivisie championships. He’s made 38 appearances and scored seven goals and added five assists across all competitions. And ever since he nailed that fearless penalty against Italy, his name has circulated around the transfer rumor mill. The latest gossip is that Premier League club Everton is interested, and it’s possible that if Bajraktarević has an impressive summer at his first World Cup, more big European clubs will come knocking. Bajraktarević earned his first cap for Bosnia on Sept. 7, 2024, recording an assist on a Dzeko goal during a UEFA Nations League match against the Netherlands — ironically at Philips Stadium in Eindhoven where he plays regularly for PSV. He was subbed on in the 68th minute and helped set up the goal in the 73rd. “I was warming up, and they waved me over, and I was like, [Oh my god], you know what I mean?” Bajraktarević said. “Then I just remembered the first time I got the ball, I didn’t want to just pass it back or play it safe. I knew I wanted to take a risk because we were losing the game. I went in and wanted to make a difference.” Choosing Bosnia Over The USA? ‘Living His Dream’ Bajraktarević has been making a difference for Bosnia and Herzegovina ever since — he’s made 14 international appearances and was confirmed as part of the World Cup squad on May 11 — and is excited about what kinds of things his team might accomplish this summer. “He’s one of those players that has the ability to change the game because of that exceptional technical quality that he has,” Onalfo said. “He’s a dynamic, fun player to watch because he’s got great skills, and he can make great little passes, and he can also beat you one-v-one, and he’s very good in front of the goal.” It’s been close to two years now, but the choice to officially change national team affiliations from the U.S. to Bosnia and Herzegovina was tough for Bajraktarević. It wasn’t a total shock to those who know him well, though. “I wasn’t surprised,” Onalfo said. “I think he felt like he had maybe more of a real clear path playing for that team, and he chose it. It’s dear to his heart. He was born here, but he’s very European.” Neither Onalfo nor Arena could confidently say whether they thought Bajraktarević would have had a shot at making the USA’s 26-man World Cup roster. But it doesn’t matter. Bajraktarević became an immediate Bosnian star and is viewed as the future of the program. Soon, he’ll have a chance to make more history. Bosnia and Herzegovina’s opening match is against Canada in Toronto on June 12. Bajraktarević’s family is planning to be there. The team then arrives in the U.S. for the match against Switzerland on June 18 in Los Angeles, followed by a trip to Seattle on June 24 for the group stage closer against Qatar. “He’s an American kid with Bosnian parents, and he basically helped bring his team to a World Cup that’s happening in the United States,” Onalfo said. “I mean, it’s pretty awesome. I’m really proud and happy for him. “He’s living his dream.”