Bosnia and Herzegovina clash reunites Germany with Džeko

However, when Edin Džeko comes into focus pre-match, it will bring back fond memories of one of the most astonishing Bundesliga seasons in modern history.

The Bosnia and Herzegovina captain, who was born in Sarajevo where war broke out at the age of six, is his country’s all-time top appearance maker and scorer, and will go down as one of the game’s great strikers thanks to a goal and trophy-laden career. 

His first title was arguably the most incredible of the lot, though, coming in his second season with Wolfsburg. Die Wölfe’s scouts impressed by picking up Džeko from Teplice in the Czech league aged 21, and the potential they’d spotted quickly came to the fore.

Bayern Munich weren’t the unbeatable side that put together a 11-year winning streak from 2012 to 2023, but they were still the watermark who’d dominated the decade when Džeko rocked up and put away eight goals in his debut campaign in 2007/08.

Strike partner Grafite led the way with 11 goals as Wolfsburg achieved their best-ever Bundesliga finish of fifth in Felix Magath’s first season, and while it was progress, no one could have predicted what would happen next time out.

Wolfsburg would storm to their first-ever Bundesliga title in 2008/09, winning on the final day from Bayern as an incredibly attacking line-up saw Džeko and Grafite combine for 54 goals, the most famous of which came when they both netted doubles in a 5-1 Matchday 26 win over Bayern.

Watch: Grafite's wonder goal in Wolfsburg's 5-1 win over Bayern

Magath would leave for Schalke the following season, and so would Wolfsburg’s superpowers. Grafite, author of one of the league’s greatest-ever goals, would drop off the following two campaigns, and enter obscurity with a 2011 move to Dubai.

Džeko, however, was only just getting started. He left six months earlier than his strike partner as the Bundesliga’s most-expensive departure at the time; joining newly-monied Manchester City for a reported £27 million. His first season saw another trophy in the FA Cup, but his second was where he was involved in dramatic history once more.

Scoring 14 goals in the league, his final one was arguably the most important of his career in one of the most astonishing final days ever seen. City were level with rivals Manchester United on points, but with a far superior goal difference, they needed to complete the simple task of a win against QPR for their first Premier League title.

Incredibly, Roberto Mancini’s side found themselves 2-1 down heading into stoppage time, and it looked like the title was United’s. Džeko wasn’t finished, though, inspiring his side with an equaliser in the second minute of added time before Sergio Aguero scored one of football’s most iconic goals two minutes later to clinch the title.

The goal, and allowing Aguero to get the headlines, summed up Džeko, who Mancini called “one of the most complete strikers” he’d ever seen. He added another league title and a further League Cup with City before heading to Roma in 2015 and he again became an icon.

One of the most storied and famous clubs in world football, the Sarajevo-born star would equal the club record for most goals in a season with 29 in 2016/17, and by the time his six-season stint ended he was incredibly the third-top scorer in club history with 119 goals in 260 games.

That departure didn’t come without controversy though, as he moved to Serie A rivals Inter Milan. Even at the age of 34 he showed he still had it, winning two Coppa Italia and two Supercopa Italia’s before taking Inter to the Champions League final. "I don't care about his date of birth," said Inter coach Simeone Inzaghi. "Edin is a great striker who is worth his weight in gold in difficult situations."

Now at 38 and with Fenerbahce, Džeko hasn’t stopped scoring. Last year he said “I feel like I’m still 22,” and his supreme game intelligence, physicality and link-up play means that he can keep shining when other striker’s reliant on their pace may be forced towards retirement far earlier.

Watch: Edin Dzeko - Made in the Bundesliga

That means even close to 40 he’ll still be a threat against Germany, who will again meet a player who is not just part of the fabric of the Bundesliga, but every country he plays in.