Bosnia & Herzegovina vs Qatar: Top five players to watch during FIFA World Cup 2026 ft. Jovo Lukic & Akram Afif

Jovo Lukic and Edin Dzeko will be the target men for Bosnia against Qatar

Qatar and Bosnia & Herzegovina are languishing at the bottom of Group B after two games. However, hope is not yet lost as both nations can still qualify for the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Since third placed teams can go through, a win for either side would make them strong contenders for qualification, however a draw would mean doom for both countries. Here are five players who can make a difference and get all three points for their nation in the Bosnia vs Qatar game.

Jovo Lukic (Bosnia)

The striker started in Bosnia & Herzegovina’s FIFA World Cup 2026 opener against Canada and also found the back of the net as his side drew 1-1. However, Jovo Lukic was benched against Switzerland and played just six minutes as his side lost 4-1.

Lukic’s form at club level has also been good as he scored 20 goals in 39 games for Universitatae Cluj last season Going into their most important game yet, Bosnia will likely start Lukic over Demirovic. The 27-year-old has won both ground and aerial duels in his last two outings and this is no surprise given his stature.

Akram Afif (Qatar)

Akram Afif is a cult hero within Qatar given that he has led his nation to consecutive AFC Asian Cup titles. However, the 29-year-old has failed to live up to the expectations in the FIFA World Cup so far.

While Qatar drew 1-1 with Switzerland, it was a late own goal that got them the points. None of their players have scored in this tournament. Akram Afif has 40 goals in 134 games for Qatar and he will be shouldering his nation’s hopes in this final Group B game for the Asian champions.

Nikola Katic (Bosnia)

With Tarik Muharemovic suspended from the final group game, Nikola Katic will be responsible for holding Qatar’s backline together. The 29-year-old is a tall figure that will be crucial for Bosnia in both defence and attack.

Katic has won 32 duels and has 38 defensive contributions in his name over the two group games. The centreback had a decent outing against Canada and his manager will be relying on him to unite the defence and get the job done against Qatar.

Boualem Khoukhi (Qatar)

The Qatari captain will be looking to redeem himself against Bosnia after his defence conceded six goals against Canada in the last game. The Al Sadd player has had 21 defensive contributions in the last two games and won 71% of his duels.

Boualem Khoukhi enjoyed a good 2025-26 season with his Qatari club as he also had 2 goals and 5 assists to his name. Given that this is a must-win match, a goal contribution for Khoukhi against Bosnia could go a long way in the history of Qatari football.

Edin Dzeko (Bosnia)

Edin Dzeko is the most experienced player in Bosnia’s squad and he is going to be the most accomplished name taking the pitch for this game. Dzeko, who currently plays for Schalke, has represented the likes of Inter, Roma, and Manchester City among other clubs over his career.

The 40-year-old has scored 73 goals in 149 appearances for his country and while his recent form is not the best, Dzeko is going to be giving his all as if Bosnia lose, this could be his last ever match for his country.

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