Milwaukee Messi wants to put Bosnia on the map and end USMNT’s World Cup joy

Esmir Bajraktarevic was born in Wisconsin and is known by his biggest fans as the ‘Milwaukee Messi.’

He also wants to knock the United States Men’s National Team out of the 2026 World Cup, and give Bosnia and Herzegovina an even larger spot on the map of international football.

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A penalty kick vs Italy that launched Bosnia into the biggest sports tournament in history made Bajraktarevic a household name in the country that he now represents on the pitch.

But he chose to play for Bosnia over the USA, after his parents left Bosnia to create a new life in America.

That decision is partly attributed to the Milwaukee Messi growing up surrounded by Bosnian food, language and culture.

On Wednesday, the 5ft 9in and 141lb midfielder will attempt to one-up Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun and Mauricio Pochettino in a Round of 32 knockout game at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium.

Bajraktarevic, a native of Appleton in Wisconsin, initially drew the attention of MLS’ New England Revolution.

He spent 2022-24 with the primary team, but didn’t break through until a ’24 campaign when he played 29 matches (22 starts) while scoring three goals.

Bajraktarevic could have ended up wearing a red-and-white Stripes jersey on Wednesday.

But his early connection with US Soccer — playing for youth teams and earning a senior cap — fell away when he realized that he could represent Bosnia in the World Cup.

“I played soccer ever since I could walk, really,” Bajraktarevic told the Boston Globe.

“I played in rec leagues, just for fun. My family couldn’t really afford playing for club teams.”

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Bajraktarevic played 28 matches (eight starts) for PSV Eindhoven in 2025-26, scoring four goals and recording four assists.

In the Bay Area, he’ll represent a Bosnia team attempting to upset USMNT in front of a significantly pro-USA crowd.

Leading up to the match, Bosnia captain Edin Dzeko fired back after a TV reporter joked that she couldn’t point to Bosnia & Herzegovina on a map.

“In the next round, Team USA will play Bosnia next Wednesday. And, one thing about Bosnia [is that] I could not point out where it is on a a map,” ABC7’s Abigail Velez said.

“I don’t know the first thing about Bosnia, and I don’t want to know.

“That’s because Team USA, we’re back, we’re better than ever. Get prepared Bosnia, because you don’t want it. You don’t want it like that. But you’re gonna get it.”

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Dzeko, a former Manchester City striker, took up for his country and was adamnt that Bosnia will be ready for USMNT.

“That shows a lot about them,” Dzeko told talkSPORT.

“Not about us. I think the most important thing is what the guys in the American team, in the US team, think.

“And I think they are not going to underestimate us. They know we have qualities, and we know we have qualities. You are the favorites, but the knockout phase is totally different than the group stage.”

Bajraktarevic is one win away from reaching the Round of 16.

All the Milaukee Messi has to do is knock out the country that he grew up in.