Edin Dzeko has once again showcased his cult hero status in football by returning well ahead of schedule from an injury.
Dzeko came on as a substitute as traditional club Schalke secured their return to the Bundesliga with a 1-0 win over Fortuna Dusseldorf.
The 41-year-old striker helped Bosnia and Herzegovina qualify for their first World Cup on March 31st in dramatic fashion.
Bosnia beat favourites Italy in a final play-off, coming back from 1-0 down to secure a penalty shoot-out victory.
Dzeko was unable to take a penalty as he went off in extra time in serious pain.
Coming back out after the win, his arm and shoulder was heavily strapped, a very concerning image for club side Schalke.
The Premier League and Bundesliga winner has been in fine form since moving to the German second division in January, but a suspected collarbone break was expected to rule him out for the season.
Yet just over a month later, Dzeko returned as a 69th minute substitute against Fortuna Dusseldorf where victory secured Bundesliga promotion.
Speaking at the time, the No.10 said: “I don’t want to say I can’t do it anymore. But I also don’t want to say I’ll be fit again in two weeks.
“But if you have a little pain, it’s not a problem for me at all. And that’s why we’ll wait a bit, two weeks, and then we’ll see.”
Dzeko eventually avoided surgery, and his coach, Miron Muslic praised his countryman’s resilience upon his return to the squad.
“He’s a warrior, a fighter,” the former Plymouth coach said. “If we need him, he’ll be there.”
Post-match, Dzeko commented on his future with the club keen to keep him.
“Let’s see. First, we celebrate. But I am very, very happy that I made the decision to join FC Schalke,” he said.
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