Kerim Alajbegovic, Bosnia’s two-footed prodigy lighting up the World Cup | OneFootball

Kerim Alajbegovic, 18, has emerged as Bosnia and Herzegovina’s instinctive, two-footed spark at the World Cup. The Leverkusen-trained forward struck superbly in the 3-1 win over Qatar and now heads into a last-16 tie with the United States in San Francisco at 2am on Thursday. He is set to return to Bayer Leverkusen this summer after a breakout season at RB Salzburg.

According to L'Équipe, beIN Sports analyst Patrick Guillou places him among youngsters allowed to develop without constraints, retaining street-football qualities. He showcased them against Qatar, beating men before rifling in a right-foot finish.

Born in Cologne, he is equally comfortable on his left, a trait shaped by his father Semin, a former lower-league player in Germany who drilled two-footed shooting from early childhood. Acting as parent and agent, Semin also sought guidance from Vahid Halilhodzic, who advised keeping pressure low to avoid rushing stages.

Raised at FC Köln until 14, Alajbegovic joined Bayer Leverkusen’s academy and signed his first professional deal in January 2025. He moved to RB Salzburg in July for €2 million and delivered 13 goals and 4 assists in 44 matches. Leverkusen have since triggered an €8 million buy-back.

Guillou believes he could earn minutes on the left after Alejandro Grimaldo’s move to Atlético de Madrid. Sporting director Simon Rolfes has said Alajbegovic surpassed the club’s expectations.

Interest has arrived from Serie A, notably AS Roma and Atalanta, and from the Premier League via Newcastle. Halilhodzic sees significant scope to improve attacking depth runs and for him to add strength, as he remains slightly frail.

He committed early to Bosnia and Herzegovina despite an approach from Germany. His personality has shone through, not least when he converted the decisive penalty in the play-off semi-final against Wales on 26 March after a 1-1 draw and a 4-2 win on penalties. He now aims to make a statement, stressing that the squad are confident and fear nobody.

Source: L'Équipe