In Bosnia they ask me for my mother, in Croatia for my father.

Edin Terzić, 43-year-old new head coach of Spanish football club Athletic Bilbao, has spoken candidly about his identity and how it has shaped his career. In an interview with local newspaper El Correo, Terzić described feeling like an outsider throughout much of his life due to his mixed heritage. Born in Germany to a Bosnian father and a Croatian mother, he has often been asked about his family roots depending on where he was living, questions about his mother in Bosnia and his father in Croatia. “I consider myself an outsider,” he said. “I have always felt like a stranger. When I was in Germany, they asked me my name. In Bosnia, they asked about my mother. In Croatia, they asked about my father. My whole life I’ve been an outsider, but that’s not a problem. My nationality is football. And I love it because my life is connected to the world of football and I cherish it.” Terzić began his coaching career at the youth academy of Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund before working as an assistant to former Croatian coach Slaven Bilić at Turkish club Beşiktaş from 2013 to 2015, and later at London-based West Ham United until 2017. He described Bilić as one of the most influential figures in his life. “Slaven was one of those people you need in life, someone who has ideas about you even before you yourself have them, someone who believes in you even before you start believing in yourself,” he said. “My job was to say yes or no when he asked if I wanted to join his team. I said yes. That might have been one of the most important yeses in my life because I met an incredible coach and a man who will remain one of my best friends for the rest of my life. He helped me become a better coach and a better person.” Bilić recently returned to his role as national team coach for Croatia after a break, having previously held the position from 2006 to 2012. Terzić took over at Athletic Bilbao this summer following the departure of Ernesto Valverde, who had led the club to 12th place in La Liga. After arriving in Bilbao, Terzić reflected on his time at Borussia Dortmund, where he guided the senior squad to the UEFA Champions League final in 2024, losing to Real Madrid 2-0. Following that, he spent two years without coaching, using the time to learn from experienced coaches. “I used those two years to meet experienced coaches,” Terzić explained. He spoke particularly highly of 81-year-old retired German coach Jupp Heynckes, whom he consulted both before and after joining Athletic. “As a head coach, you must make many decisions. Sometimes you feel like the only person making them. You feel lonely. That feeling, how you feel after a win or a loss, in difficult moments, only other coaches can understand,” he said. When reflecting on the people who influenced his career, Terzić also thanked his first coach, Hannes Wolf, who currently coaches the German under-20 national team. He praised the atmosphere in Bilbao, describing it as welcoming and open-minded. “I feel and smell football in every corner. The club is part of the city. People here are amazing. They are very friendly, have an open mindset, and speak proudly about their club,” he said. Athletic Bilbao, known for its policy of playing only players born in the Basque Country, has welcomed Terzić with optimism. He expressed admiration for the unique character of the region. “Every morning, when you run and train, you see that landscape. It’s incredible. Right now, nothing is missing. The beginning is incredible, but now is the time for victories,” he concluded. The club faces Sevilla in its first match of the season in La Liga, with a trip to Barcelona scheduled five days later.