Italy accused of spying on opponent ahead of crucial World Cup qualifier match

The Bosnia and Herzegovina Football Federation has accused an Italian soldier from the European Union Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina of spying on the national team's training session, just before the decisive World Cup playoff final between the two teams.

According to the schedule, Bosnia and Herzegovina will host Italy, the four-time world champion, at Bilino Polje stadium in Zenica on Tuesday evening. Previously, the host team secured their spot in the final after a thrilling penalty shootout victory over Wales in the semi-final playoff last week.

However, preparations for this crucial match have been overshadowed by a controversial incident. An EUFOR soldier, believed to be of Italian nationality, was discovered filming Bosnia's training session at the Butmir training complex on Sunday.

Bosnian media reported that the individual stood behind a fence and recorded the entire training process of the players.

After discovering that the soldier had filmed for over 15 minutes, security personnel along with members of the coaching staff approached him and demanded he stop recording immediately.

The Sportsport.BA website even suggested this was a "direct effort" from the Italian national team to gather tactical information about Bosnia, as the Azzurri aim to secure a World Cup qualification for the first time in 12 years.

The Bosnia and Herzegovina Football Federation is said to have submitted a formal complaint to EUFOR. Part of the reason stems from the fact that the Butmir training facility lacks the necessary security measures for a match of such magnitude. The training session was open to the public, with only a simple metal fence separating the players from spectators.

A photo of a man wearing a camouflage jacket standing behind the fence quickly spread on social media. However, there is currently no concrete evidence indicating this individual has any direct connection to the Italian national team or the coaching staff of manager Gennaro Gattuso.

On Italy's side, they are very close to qualifying for the World Cup for the first time since 2014 – a tournament where they were eliminated in the group stage. In the playoff semi-final, Gattuso's squad defeated Northern Ireland 2-0 in Bergamo, thus being considered a strong contender for the ticket to North America.

Nevertheless, the Italian national team also faced criticism following this victory. They were accused of displaying "disrespect and arrogance" when a circulated video showed players celebrating Wales' elimination by Bosnia.

In the video recorded in the VIP area at Bergamo, several team members – including goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario – watched the penalty shootout and appeared excited when Bosnia secured the win.

Regarding these controversies, veteran striker Edin Džeko spoke up, stating that the current pressure is weighing heavily on Italy – a team that has failed to advance past the playoff stage in the last two consecutive World Cup cycles.

"I don't understand why Italy didn't want to play in Wales; we went there without fear and won," Džeko stated after the match in Cardiff. "Italy is a great team with four World Cup titles. If they are apprehensive about playing on Wales' home ground, then clearly something is wrong. After missing the last two World Cups, they are now under immense pressure."

The 40-year-old striker also revealed details about an exchange with defender Federico Dimarco: "Dimarco messaged me, saying he didn't intend to offend anyone. I replied that personally, I have no issue with it. Everyone has their own choices, that's normal."

Džeko concluded: "I myself cannot celebrate, because I originally wanted to avoid facing Italy in the final. In today's social media era, everything can be exaggerated, so you must always be cautious and wise in every action."