Has the FIFA World Cup 2026 already seen its ‘Goal of the Tournament’? Bosnia and Herzegovina’s 18-year-old star Kerim Alajbegovic smashed in a terrific long-range strike in the team’s Group A match against Qatar. Alajbegovic opened the scoring in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s 3-1 win. After receiving the ball, Alajbegovic danced past two defenders and then hammered it in from outside the box. Despite shooting from a difficult angle, the power and curve in his shot left the Qatar goalkeeper with no chance.
Alajbegovic’s incredible goal could rival other incredible goals from outside the box in FIFA World Cup 2026, such as the ones scored by Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi.
WATCH: Kerim Alajbegovic’s incredible goal at FIFA World Cup 2026
Some wingers are built from a different sauce… Kerim Alajbegovic is one of them. https://t.co/Q4izHQPPgD pic.twitter.com/wYn5GOqmxM
— Uzumaki Tony (@thearsfamily97) June 25, 2026
Who is Kerim Alajbegovic?
Alajbegovic is one of the rising stars to watch out for in the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026. After coming off the bench in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s first two games, he was handed a start in their third group game against Qatar, and immediately made an impact.
He became Bosnia and Herzegovina’s youngest-ever World Cup player.
Born in Germany, Alajbegovic came through the youth setups at German clubs FC Koln and Bayer Leverkusen. He had a breakthrough 2025-26 season, starring for Austrian Bundesliga side Red Bull Salzburg.
Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar, FIFA World Cup 2026: As it happened
Bosnia-Herzegovina qualified for the last 32 of the World Cup on Wednesday after FIFA confirmed they were one of the eight best third-placed teams in the 48-team tournament.
They defeated Qatar 3-1 earlier in their last Group B game in Seattle to finish third with four points behind Switzerland and Canada but had to wait for other results to be confirmed as one of the qualifiers.
Goals from Bosnia’s youngest ever World Cup player, 18-year-old Kerim Alajbegovic, and an own goal by Qatar goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada looked to have put the European side in the box seat.
However, Qatar made a game of it when 35-year-old Hassan al-Haydos, their most capped player, pulled one back late in the first-half.
Ermin Mahmic then put the game beyond the Qataris when he scored for the second successive match in the 80th minute.
With AFP inputs
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