The last match of the season, which was a meaningless 4-0 win for Borussia Mönchengladbach against Hoffenheim in the 34th round of the Bundesliga, has led to a significant setback for Bosnia and Herzegovina's national football team. The match resulted in a severe ankle injury to one of the team's most important players, Haris Tabaković (31), who will now miss the World Cup.

Tabaković injured his left ankle in the 72nd minute after a duel with Hoffenheim defender Ozan Kabak. According to the website Klix, Tabaković's bone fractured, and he is in a cast. He faces a minimum of three months of recovery, with a possible six-month timeframe following surgery.

This season, Tabaković scored 13 goals, including one against Hoffenheim, with three assists. In ten appearances for "the dragons," he scored four goals, most notably the crucial goal against Italy in the final of the World Cup qualifiers (5-2, 1-1), along with a penalty during extra time. Sergej Barbarez had already included him in the final squad for the World Cup, but now he must find a replacement.

Bosnia and Herzegovina will face North Macedonia on May 29 in Sarajevo for their first pre-World Cup match. On June 6, they will play against Panama in St. Louis, their opponent in the World Cup group stage. Their first match at the World Cup will be against Canada on June 12 in Toronto, followed by a game against Switzerland in Los Angeles on June 18. They will conclude the group stage with two matches against Qatar on June 24. All matches will kick off at 9 PM CEST.