Bosnian ball boy who hid Donnarumma’s penalty shootout notes hailed as hero

Afan Cizmic, a 14-year-old ball boy in the Bosnia vs Italy World Cup qualifying final, took away the goalkeeper’s notes.

A week after Bosnia and Herzegovina booked a place in the FIFA World Cup with a dramatic penalty shootout win over Italy, a 14-year-old ball boy has stolen the limelight in the Balkan nation.

Afan Cizmic was among the dozens of ball boys deployed at the Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica for the UEFA playoff final on March 31, when Bosnia hosted the four-time champions for a place in the World Cup 2026.

But he now stands out as an unlikely hero after hiding Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma’s penalty shootout notes just before the spot kicks were taken.

Cizmic, positioned on the sidelines before the shootout, noticed Donnarumma reading from a piece of paper tucked behind a towel. Realising it contained information on Bosnian penalty takers, he took the note and ran away from the goal.

When the shootout got under way, Donnarumma failed to save any of the four penalties he faced, and his teammates missed three of theirs, handing Bosnia a place in the global showpiece.

Gianluigi Donnarumma watches in despair after Bosnia defeated Italy at the Bilino-Polje Stadium in Zenica [File: Elvis Barukcic/AFP]

Whether Cizmic’s little trick played a role in the final scoreline remains unknown, but the teenage boy is being hailed as a hero in Bosnia, with fans urging the national team to take him along to the World Cup.

Cizmic has been called on to football shows, interviewed by international media, and photographed at the venue where Bosnia created history by ensuring Italy became the only former champions to miss their third World Cup in a row.

Recalling the moment he saw the paper, Cizmic says that he hesitated at first but ultimately decided to act on his instinct.

“I saw where he left the paper and that he was reading from it. I thought about whether I should take it or not. Then I said, ‘Whatever happens, happens,’ and I took it,” he told Turkish news agency Anadolu on Wednesday.

While Donnarumma did not see Cizmic walk away, the Italian goalkeeper was left fuming when he could not find the paper and attempted to snatch his opposite number’s penalty shootout notes in a tit-for-tat move.

Bosnian goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj, left, and Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma argue during the penalty shootout [File: Armin Durgut/AP]

Cizmic believes Donnarumma’s frustration confirmed his ploy had an impact on the game.

“I was happy because I saw he got angry and lost concentration,” he said.

In the hours and days after Bosnia’s win, Cizmic’s act led to social media debates as well as national news.

Despite mixed reactions on social media, he dismissed criticism, saying any fan would have done the same.

“If we were playing in Italy, someone would have done it to our goalkeeper, Nikola Vasilj, too,” he said.

The now-famous ball boy proudly carries the note, enclosed in a plastic cover, as a memorabilia item and takes it along for media appearances. He also announced that the paper will be auctioned, with all proceeds going to charity.

Cizmic, who is a youth footballer with local club Celik Zenica, dreams of wearing the Bosnian national team jersey one day.

His father, Emir Cizmic, said he was proud of his son, emphasising that ball boys are not just spectators but can affect the rhythm and outcome of matches.

Afan Cizmic at Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica [Denis Zuberi/Anadolu]