Ball boy who hid Donnarumma’s penalty notes hailed as unlikely hero in Bosnia win

A 14-year-old ball boy, Afan Cizmic, has emerged as one of the most talked-about figures after he hid Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma’s penalty notes during Bosnia and Herzegovina’s dramatic win over Italy.

Bosnia and Herzegovina hosted Italy in Zenica on March 31 in a crucial World Cup qualifying match for the tournament to be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The game ended 1-1 after regular time and went to a penalty shootout.

Before the shootout, Cizmic, positioned on the sidelines as a ball boy, noticed Donnarumma reading from a piece of paper tucked behind a towel. Realizing it contained information on Bosnian penalty takers, he took the note and ran away.

Unable to find his notes, Donnarumma failed to save any of the four penalties he faced, as Bosnia and Herzegovina won the shootout.

Speaking about the moment, Cizmic said he hesitated at first but ultimately decided to act.

“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 said.

He added that seeing Donnarumma’s frustration confirmed his decision had an impact. “I was happy because I saw he got angry and lost concentration.”

Cizmic, who plays in the youth system of local club Celik Zenica, said he dreams of one day wearing the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team jersey.

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.

He also announced that the paper will be auctioned, with all proceeds going to charity.

Cizmic highlighted the importance of ball boys in football, echoing comments often made by Jose Mourinho about their influence on the game.

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

Celik Zenica coach Vedad Mujcinovic also described Afan as “a hardworking and well-mannered child,” adding that he had specifically asked to be on duty for the Italy match, believing his team would win.