Football legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic gave an emotional verdict after watching Bosnia & Herzegovina make World Cup history this week.

The former Sweden and Manchester United striker became visibly emotional while working as a FOX pundit following Bosnia & Herzegovina’s 3-1 victory over Qatar, which secured their passage to the World Cup knockout stages for the first time. Typically composed, he found himself personally invested in Bosnia’s triumph due to his father’s heritage.

Bosnia & Herzegovina will now brace themselves to face the United States in their round of 32 fixture next week.

“That’s what football is all about, bringing people together and especially for Bosnia. How much this country has suffered and to see this happiness makes me very emotional,” Ibrahimovic said on FOX Sports. “Gives me goosebumps because that’s my father’s roots.”

The Bosnian War during the 1990s resulted in more than 100,000 deaths. Prior to independence, Bosnian athletes competed for Yugoslavia, but following the formation of their own national side, Bosnia secured qualification for its maiden World Cup in 2014.

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The conflict also forced many people to leave their homes, including Ibrahimovic’s Bosnian father and Croatian mother, who relocated to Sweden before Yugoslavia’s dissolution. Bosnia did not gain FIFA recognition until 1996.

Following his relocation to Sweden, Ibrahimovic embarked on a career that would see him become Sweden’s all-time leading international goal-scorer. Despite netting 62 goals in 122 international appearances, with 19 coming during World Cup qualifying campaigns, Ibrahimovic finished his Sweden career without a single World Cup goal.

“Just to see 70,000 singing, probably the Bosnian fans won already the World Cup and it makes me happy, very proud over them and see them also advance from the group stage,” Ibrahimovic continued.

“But the special moment is when the fans are singing, this is what makes me emotional, I cannot even express myself well now, but it’s a very emotional moment, and I’m just happy, I’m just happy.”

Ibrahimovic’s father, Sefik, was born in Bijeljina, Bosnia & Herzegovina, before relocating to Sweden in 1977, where Zlatan was raised. He was widely recognised as “Kinko,” a folk singer who began his career in his hometown in 1985.

While Zlatan opted to represent Sweden, he frequently speaks of the significance of his Bosnian heritage. Bosnia’s 3-1 triumph over Qatar marked a recovery following a 1-1 draw with Canada and a 4-1 defeat to Switzerland.

Under manager Sergej Barbarez and captain Edin Dzeko, the side secured third place in Group B and advanced to the round of 32, surpassing their previous best of a group stage exit in 2014. Bosnia will take on the United States at Levi’s Stadium on July 1 to begin their campaign in the knockout stages.